NALU SCIENTIFIC, LLC — Department of Commerce SBIR Phase II: 9.6.01

NALU SCIENTIFIC, LLC — SBIR Phase II award from Department of Commerce.

Amount
$400,000
Agency
Department of Commerce · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Program / Phase
SBIR · Phase II
Topic
9.6.01
Solicitation
NOAA-OAR-OAR-TPO-2020-2006595
NAICS
Place of performance
HI
Period
2021-02-01 → 2023-01-31

Description

Passive ocean color remote sensing has revolutionized our ability to quantify the horizontal distribution of phytoplankton across the ocean surface. Lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) technology has the potential to similarly revolutionize our ability to remotely measure the vertical distribution of optical properties and suspended particles in natural waters, significantly improving our predictive understanding of ocean biogeochemical processes in 3-dimensional space and time. For Lidar technology to be effective in providing such measurements in the field (ocean), it needs to be low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP), while maintaining high performance. In this project we propose the “OLEAS”: Oceanographic Lidar for Environmental Assessment We will take the next important step in oceanographic lidar by developing a low-cost, compact, rugged system, capable of remotely characterizing the spatial structure of optical and biogeochemical properties of the water column from moored platforms, surface vessels and underwater vehicles.