As part of the AMuSeD project (Autonomous Multi-Sensor Drifter), I work on the development of an autonomous, modular platform for oceanographic data collection. Building on the AMuSeD system architecture developed by Julius Harms, which includes the main board, software, and data management, my focus is on the dive module and its control, including the regulation of diving behavior and the detection of fronts.
A central aspect of my work is the integration and further development of the sensor systems. Under my responsibility, sensors for conductivity and salinity have been optimized, and a dedicated acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) is in preparation. This ensures that the drifter provides the required flexibility, energy efficiency, and robustness for measurements in coastal and shelf sea environments.
To prepare and validate autonomous operation, simulations of the drifter’s behavior are conducted. These serve to develop and test control and regulation algorithms as well as to validate sensor data processing under realistic conditions. Additionally, tests of individual components and sensors are planned in laboratory environments, such as the flow channel of the Institute of River and Coastal Engineering or the laboratory of the Institute of Mechanics and Ocean Engineering to verify their performance under controlled conditions.
In the long term, the system is intended not only to be integrated into the research activities of the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg, which regularly conducts measurement campaigns to study oceanographic fronts and surface processes, but also to provide researchers worldwide with a flexible and cost-effective platform for oceanographic measurements. Building on the foundation laid in the dissertation of Julius Harms, the AMuSeD project aims to create compact, modular, and autonomously operating sensor systems that facilitate access to high-resolution oceanographic data and provide new insights into dynamic processes in shelf seas.
