SEALAB Cube: Scientific Exploration and Analysis LABoratory for the Ocean

• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science, Oceanography and Climate Research
• Term: Funded in 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 558718329

The surface ocean is a regulator of climate, acting as a large carbon sink and influencing global weather patterns. The uppermost layer controls the air-sea exchange of gases, heat, and particles. Exchange processes are influenced by atmospheric forcing such as wind, evaporation, and rain, as well as oceanic forcing such as currents and biological processes. Understanding the complex dynamics of the surface ocean requires knowledge of its spatial and temporal variations. In addition, pollutants enter the surface ocean through rivers and atmospheric deposition, and disrupt ecosystem functions, harm marine life, alter biochemical processes, and ultimately affect human health via the food chain. This proposal is a new concept for seagoing laboratory containers. The so-called SEALAB Cube is designed to continuously record climate-relevant data and pollutant levels while the research vessel is underway. An oceanographic underway data system consists of a pipeline with integrated sensors onboard, through which seawater is pumped, either using the ship's own intake pipe or an external pump. The SEALAB Cube differs from a typical ship-internal underway data system in terms of (i) its modular expandability via a customizable pipe system capable of additional sensor integration, (ii) integration of reference instruments for quality assurance onboard, (iii) its mobility and application in a wide range of research vessels, and (iv) a complementary compact autonomous underwater vehicle (compact-AUV). The latter enables the vertical resolution of recorded anomalies, thereby providing the possibility of three-dimensional data collection. Designed for rapid deployment by a single person, these vehicles conform to the parameters measured by the container. Oceanographic research typically requires an understanding of both the temporal evolution and the spatial structure of processes, which is particularly crucial for the dynamic surface ocean influenced by atmospheric forces. Although AUVs are advancing, they still lag behind research vessels in terms of speed and endurance. The proposed concept combines the advantages of ship-based underway data and AUVs to resolve the spatial anomalies. Equipped with enhanced observation capabilities, the research vessel utilizes the SEALAB Cube to survey a region of interest while the compact-AUV targets and investigates detected anomalies, which cover a broad spectrum of processes spanning both sub-mesoscale (e.g., marine slicks, fronts, pollutant drainage areas, estuaries) and mesoscale levels (e.g., upwelling zones, subtropical eddies, marine heatwaves, and other extreme events). The SEALAB Cube incorporates climate-relevant parameters (such as sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, and pCO2), a suite of optical parameters that serve as tracers for biogeochemical processes (chlorophyll-a, phycoerythrin pigments, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter) and pollutant levels (both crude and fine oil residues).

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: SEALAB Cube: Wissenschaftliches Forschungs- und Analyse-Labor für den Ozean
• Instrumentation Group: 0450 Salinometer-, Thermometer-, kombinierte Sonden
• Applicant Institution: Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
• Leader: Professor Oliver Wurl, Ph.D.