US Naval Research Lab Acquires Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler

The US Naval Research Laboratory has purchased an Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP, Figure 1) autonomous echosounder from ASL Environmental Sciences to conduct observations of small zooplankton for ecosystem research.

The internally-powered scientific echosounder will store acoustic backscatter data and will be mounted to an apparatus that will move the instrument up and down the water column in order to observe the dynamic behavior of zooplankton. The technology employed by this echosounder uses multiple high frequencies to ensonify the small particle sizes of the zooplankton (Figure 2).

The Navy will use the instrument to support ongoing research in coupled, ecosystem-circulation modeling, underwater optics and remote sensing.

An example of zooplankton (Amphipod) to be observed by the AZFP.

Disclaimer: The US Navy does not endorse in whole or in part the instruments or manufacturers made mention of or descriptively implied within this press release.