Pressure measurement
that are adapted to grow in coastal saline or brackish water. They are directly affected by variation in water level and composition and are a promising indicator of the habitat’s health. Constance and the SIF-Team have already surveyed more than 1,000 trees all over the atoll and will continue monitoring them over the coming years. The scientists jestingly call this tiring fieldwork “mangrove yoga”. To bring the development of the mangroves into context with changes in the surrounding water, exact data about the water level and salinity is needed. Therefore, the team installed level loggers across the coastal area. They needed to be sturdy and reliable. The Swiss pressure sensing specialist KELLER provided the twelve level loggers needed for the science project.
Reliable level MeasuReMent in the Field
After carefully evaluating the requirements of the application and the environmental conditions on site together with the experts at KELLER a suitable solution was found. The data loggers from the DCX-22AA-CTD series register water level, temperature, and electrical conductivity, which corresponds to salt content. This allows the separation of changes in water level related to the incoming tides from changes caused by rainfall. The measurement data is collected
autonomously and stored in the internal memory. The level probe uses two sensors, one submerged for the level measurement and another one above the water surface for atmospheric pressure. By subtracting the current atmospheric pressure, the level measurement is independent of weather changes and highly accurate. This allows it to detect the slightest changes in sea-level. Because the equipment is constantly exposed to the salty environment it
needs to be resistant to corrosion. All outer parts are therefore made of titanium to ensure enduring, trouble-free operations. The electronics were also specifically modified for increased memory capacity to account for the difficulty in accessing the loggers on a regular basis. This allows the logger to record all three parameters for several months before reaching maximum storage capacity. KELLER’s level loggers have been set-up in
protective installations by Constance and the team. Since late 2019 they have been taking measurements every 10 minutes and provide valuable information for the science programme, Constance’s PhD research and for the SIF management to plan daily activities in the Aldabra reserve. In the long run the insights gained from this scientific work will help preserve delicate eco-systems, counter damage caused by climate-change and hopefully play a part in saving our common habitat on this planet.
KELLER
www.keller-druck.com
Instrumentation Monthly May 2022
37
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