FACILITIES

The Bio-Optical Oceanography Laboratory is one of the most advanced laboratories studying bio-optical properties in the Caribbean region. The laboratory is located at Isla Magueyes Field Station of the Department of Marine Sciences in La Parguera, Lajas, Puerto Rico.

Image Processing Facilities
Current research at the Bio-Optical Oceanography Laboratory includes image processing and analysis of satellite and airborne data including: SeaWiFS, AVHRR, AVIRIS, MODIS, ETM+, AISA, IKONOS, and Hyperion. Our research facility includes a new laboratory and conference area with a computer laboratory for graduate students. The research and teaching computers are equipped with: ENVI, ArcGIS, Origin, SeaDas and MatLab.

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R/V Boriken
The Boriken is a 21.5' Privateer that has been customized for the needs of coastal bio-optical measurements. It has two outboard Yamaha 85 hp engines, two portable generators (1 and 2 KW), and two davits with hand winches.

AUV of the BIO-OPTICAL OCEANOGRAPHY LABORATORY at UPRM
A new Seabed-type Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was delivered in December 2009 to the Bio-optical Oceanography Laboratory and initialy tested at Isla Magueyes in La Parguera. The AUV was developed by Dr. Hanumant Singh from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This vehicle was built with funding from NSF's MRI Program for optical ans acoustic imaging of shallow and mesophotic coral reefs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The main imaging sensors are a Delta-T multi-beam sonar and two high-dynamic range color cameras. High definition video and fluorescence imaging capabilities will be added in 2010.
Tech Specs of the UPRM AUV

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Seabotix Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)
This ROV has a depth range of 150 meters and its equipped with two video cameras, artificial lighting and a three jaw grabber. We use the ROV to supplement the AUV surveys in areas of vertical walls and high slopes.

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Satlantic HyperPro Profiler
This instrument measures irradiance and radiance profiles with a spectral range of 350-800 nm. We derive spectral attenuation coefficients from these data to calculate the amount of light reaching benthic communities and to charactherize water optical properties. The system includes a backscattering meter and a chlorophyll fluorometer.

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Optronics OL 754 spectroradiometer
This high resolution spectral radiometer is used to measure downwelling UV and visible irradiance. Underwater measurements can be obtained to a depth of 10 meters using a quartz fiber optic cable connected to an underwater integrating sphere.

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GER 1500
This portable spectroradiometer (from Geophysical and Environmental Research Corporation) measures water-leaving radiance and above-surface downwelling irradiance in order to calculate remote sensing reflectance. The spectral range is from 350nm to 1050nm with 512 channels and a bandwidth of 1.5 nm.

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Solarlight PMA2100 Datalogging Radiometer
The PMA2100 consist of a PAR and UV downwelling irradiance detector connected to a handheld datalogger that is used to measure PAR and UV profiles. From these data we obtain the attenuation coefficients to depths of 20 meters.

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Microtops II ™ Sunphotometer
This 5 channel hand-held sun photometer measures aerosol optical thickness (AOT) using both 936 nm and 1020 nm channels.

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AquaFluor handheld fluorometer
This handheld fluorometer is used for field measuments of chlorophyll-a concentration.

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AccuPAR LP-80 Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Sensor
The AccuPAR model LP-80 is a linear PAR ceptometer consisting of an integrated probe and microcontroller that are used to measure intercepted PAR inside vegetation canopies that are used to calculate the Leaf Area Index (LAI).

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