Rugged, low-cost, and lightweight rosette water sampler for ocean profiling and mooring deployment

Oceanographers studying climate change, marine ecosystems, and water mass distribution rely heavily on seawater measurements from various depths and locations. A critical tool for obtaining these measurements is the rosette water sampler, which collects and isolates seawater at multiple specified depths for later analysis. However, most commercially available samplers are designed for large sample volumes (>500 mL), requiring heavy-duty lifting equipment typically found only on larger research vessels. This creates unnecessary costs and operational challenges, especially in coastal areas, when large sample volumes are not needed. In response, we present a small, lightweight, and rugged rosette water sampler specifically developed for smaller sample volumes and efficient deployment from small boats without the need for lifting equipment. Weighing 16 kg, the sampler can collect 13 samples of 20 mL each in a single profiling cast, with a maximum depth of 250 m. The instrument has been successfully tested in Northeast Greenland and along the East Greenland coast during three field campaigns between 2021 and 2023. Further development could lead to additional weight reductions and improved ease of use, enhancing its practicality for broader applications.致力于气候变化、海洋生态系统及水团分布研究的海洋学家，高度依赖多深度、多区域的海水实测数据。获取这类实测数据的核心工具为罗塞特采水器（rosette water sampler），其可在多个指定深度采集并分装海水样本，以供后续实验室分析。但当前主流商用采水器均针对大样本量（>500毫升）场景设计，需配备重型起重设备，而这类设备仅大型远洋科考船才搭载。 这会带来不必要的运维成本与操作难题，在无需大样本量的近岸区域尤为突出。 为此，我们研发了一款小型轻量化、坚固耐用的罗塞特采水器，专为小样本量场景打造，可在小型船只上高效部署，无需起重设备辅助。该设备自重仅16千克，单次剖面投放即可采集13份20毫升的样本，最大作业深度达250米。 该设备已于2021至2023年间的三次野外科考航次中，在格陵兰东北部及格陵兰东海岸完成实地测试。后续研发可进一步降低设备自重、优化操作便捷性，从而提升其在更多应用场景中的实用性与适配性。