A device for protecting moored spectroradiometers from biofouling

A shutter mechanism for reducing the effects of biofouling on bio-optical i nstruments deployed on oceanographic moorings has been designed, built, and tested. The initial development was carried our on a spectroradiometer. Th e optics of the spectroradiometer are protected by copper shutters that rot ate out of the field of view prior to a measurement and rotate back after t he measurement is completed. The shutter system can sense an obstruction an d, if one is detected, attempt to rotate in the opposite direction. The con trolling software stores the home position in the memory so the shutter can return to cover the optics, irrespective of direction of rotation. The sys tem has been tested in the equatorial Pacific, where it has provided five m onths of data that are unaffected by biofouling.