Instrument: SLOWDROP Optical Profiler

The SLOWDROP Optical Profiler is a free-falling instrument package that "has a Sea-Bird 911+ CTD, two multiwavelength absorption meters (WetLabs ac-9), and a multiexcitation spectrofluorometer (WetLabs SAFIRE) as its basic configuration. The package is deployed on a loose data tether, with sufficient buoyancy on the package to obtain descent rates of 15-20 cm/s. These slow descent rates allow data acquisition on centimeter spatial scales and result in multiparameter characterization of small-scale features." (Cowles, et al.,1998)

References: Cowles, T.J., et al., 1998. Small-scale Planktonic Structure: Persistence and Trophic Consequences. Oceanography, Vol. 11(1), pp. 4-9.