7
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
J. E. Corredor, Coastal Ocean Observing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78352-9_2
Chapter 2
Electronic Sensors and Instruments
for Coastal Ocean Observing
Abstract Electromechanical, electro-optical, opto-chemical, and electrochemical
sensors are now available that allow continuous real-time monitoring of a wide
range of environmental parameters and process rates. These sensors are integrated
into electronic instruments capable of directly or remotely capturing these properties or rate processes in quantitative terms as analog or digital data. This chapter
describes in detail the wide range of commercially available sensors and instruments with examples for the most commonly measured physical, chemical, and
biological variables in the marine environmental field. Principles of operation and
limitations of available sensors are also described.
Keywords Transducer · Instrument · Thermistor · Conductivity bridge · Bridge
oscillator · Current meter · Current profiler · Anemometer · High frequency radar ·
Radar tide gauge · Optode · Spectrophotometer · Fluorometer · Wet chemistry ·
Nutrients
2.1 Transducer-Driven Instruments for Ocean Observing
Transducers are electronic devices that allow measurement of a physical, chemical,
or biological property or process. Environmental forcing alters electromagnetic
properties of the transducer such as to change its electrical resistance or cause the
generation of an electrical potential, mechanical deformation, or electromagnetic
emission. Piezoelectric, electromechanical, electrochemical, optical, and acoustic
transducers respond to physical, chemical, and biological environmental forcing.
A passive autonomous measurement instrument is composed of the primary
transducer, an electronic signal amplification unit often incorporating the primary
transducer, a computerized instrument control module and data processing unit, a
power source, and appropriate signal transmission and reception capabilities. The
amplification and processing circuitry provides a readable signal in the form of
The original version of this chapter was revised. A correction to this chapter can be found at
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78352-9_9
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
J. E. Corredor, Coastal Ocean Observing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78352-9_2
Chapter 2
Electronic Sensors and Instruments
for Coastal Ocean Observing
Abstract Electromechanical, electro-optical, opto-chemical, and electrochemical
sensors are now available that allow continuous real-time monitoring of a wide
range of environmental parameters and process rates. These sensors are integrated
into electronic instruments capable of directly or remotely capturing these properties or rate processes in quantitative terms as analog or digital data. This chapter
describes in detail the wide range of commercially available sensors and instruments with examples for the most commonly measured physical, chemical, and
biological variables in the marine environmental field. Principles of operation and
limitations of available sensors are also described.
Keywords Transducer · Instrument · Thermistor · Conductivity bridge · Bridge
oscillator · Current meter · Current profiler · Anemometer · High frequency radar ·
Radar tide gauge · Optode · Spectrophotometer · Fluorometer · Wet chemistry ·
Nutrients
2.1 Transducer-Driven Instruments for Ocean Observing
Transducers are electronic devices that allow measurement of a physical, chemical,
or biological property or process. Environmental forcing alters electromagnetic
properties of the transducer such as to change its electrical resistance or cause the
generation of an electrical potential, mechanical deformation, or electromagnetic
emission. Piezoelectric, electromechanical, electrochemical, optical, and acoustic
transducers respond to physical, chemical, and biological environmental forcing.
A passive autonomous measurement instrument is composed of the primary
transducer, an electronic signal amplification unit often incorporating the primary
transducer, a computerized instrument control module and data processing unit, a
power source, and appropriate signal transmission and reception capabilities. The
amplification and processing circuitry provides a readable signal in the form of
The original version of this chapter was revised. A correction to this chapter can be found at
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78352-9_9