Sensor payloads

BRIDGES will develop multi-services payloads for major user cases based on smart sensing packages targeted for key markets and services. BRIDGES will consider the following groups of standard monitoring packages: a Copernicus package (including Essential Ocean Variables), a series of MSFD packages, a package suitable for living resources exploitation, and both O&G and the sea mining packages.

A wide range of sensors are expected to the first three packages as this concerns mainly all natural and anthropogenic dissolved and particulate substances of sea water, including ambient. These include sensors for optical properties and optical proxies as these sensors are technologically mature. For the MSFD package, passive acoustics and an imaging camera will be considered for noise and (micro) litter respectively. Sensors to sample nitrate, phosphate, ammonia and silicate will be the basis of the package for living resources exploitation.

The O&G package is expected to integrate sensors for detecting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, crude oil, refined oil, turbidity, and noise levels. The sea mining package will host turbidity, particle counter, video and active acoustic sensors (for sea bed properties and sub-bottom stratigraphy).

BRIDGES will also include the development of algorithms for on-board data processing and information extraction required to accomplish the smart sensing paradigm. Particular attention will be on the imaging camera as this technique has proven its capacity to describe the “marine snow” and nano/micro phyto and zoo plankton with ship born profilers.