Field Study

In situ observations

XRA combination of ship-based survey, wave glider operation, and in-situ sensor deployment will be taken in this project to collect seawater physical and chemcial data for the next step modeling exercises.

The ship-based survey will collect both underway data (at sea surface, using a SuperCO2 underway CO2 analy, Sunburst) and those at discrete depths from shelf to upper slope of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

A Liquid Robotics wave glider that carries sensors for CO2, pH, and fluorescence measurements will be used to survey sea surface conditions for prolonged periods of time.


Photo by Steven DiMarco (how does it work?)

Two additional fixed mount sensors - a SeaFET pH sensor and a SAMICO2 sensor - will be deployed at a Flower Garden Bank site to obtain high temporal resolution data.


SeaFET pH sensor


SAMICO2 pCO2 sensor

Sensor Deployments

Dec 2, 2021 - July 19, 2022

September 2022 - May 15, 2023

Shipboard campaigns

A total of five researc cruises were conducted on board R/V Pelican. XR01 through XR03 cruises started from Pelican's homeport at Cocodrie, LA, while XR04 and XR05 cruises started from Galveston, TX.

April 20-24 2021

August 9-14 2021

October 25-28 2022

December 2-4 2022

Feb 28-March 3, 2023