Development of a Biogeochemical AUV Sampler: Clio

Clio is a newly funded autonomous vehicle in the conceptual design phase. Clio is intended to be a sampling platform that can be used simultaneously and independently of traditional wire based sampling systems. The goal of Clio is to lower operational and financial barriers to realizing a GENOTRACES “-omics” global survey of marine genomics (DNA), transcriptomics (RNA), proteomics (proteins and enzymes), metabolomics (lipids and other metabolites), and metallomics (metals).

Clio will have the capability to collect a deep vertical profile of large filtered seawater samples (~150L volume filtered) with the possibility for in situ preservation, independent of concurrent wiretime activities (trace metal rosette and CTD sampling). This design will enable high-resolution collection of ocean sections and time series of proteomics biomarkers and other omics and chemical properties.

Image: Clio conceptual design (image credits: Breier)
Funded by NSF OTIC to Chip Breier, Mike Jakuba, Mak Saito, and Greg Dick
Also see Chip Breier's website.