The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded Sequoia Scientific, Inc. a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a new in-situ hyperspectral volume scattering function (VSF) sensor.
This 6-month project will focus on engineering design work, system breadboarding, laboratory testing, and ultimately demonstrating a proof-of-concept for a new submersible sensor that can measure in-situ VSFs from ultraviolet to near infrared wavelengths. The proposed sensor will complement other hyperspectral instruments developed by our team through the NASA SBIR program over the past decade.
The VSF describes how light is scattered in a given volume of water. Constituents in the water (bubbles, sediment, plankton, etc.) affect the scattered light field, as do the properties of the water itself (temperature, salinity, etc.). By measuring the VSF across a wide range of angles and wavelengths, and in multiple polarization states, we can therefore get a better picture of what is present in the water. Adding these new dimensions to in-situ VSF measurements can support the development of new ocean color remote sensing data products and increase the accuracy of existing products, helping us better understand the health of our oceans.
Sequoia’s Science & Technology Lead, Mr. Kirby Simon, will lead the project as principal investigator. About the award, he says: “We are excited to continue our work under the NASA SBIR program developing new hyperspectral optical sensors. We hope that the proposed sensor for measuring hyperspectral polarized VSFs can be a powerful tool in helping us better understand the underwater light field. We are excited for the technical challenges developing this sensor will bring and the new potential science it can help unlock!”
Learn more about the project and other technologies funded by the NASA SBIR program here: NASA SBIR. You can learn more about our other hyperspectral optical sensors, also developed under the NASA SBIR program, on our various product pages: Hyper-a, Hyper-bb, and Hyper-c.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of NASA, the United States Government, or any agency thereof.