Instruments for Sediment Studies

SediMeter™

Instrument for measuring sedimentation, erosion, siltation, scour, and resuspension. It measures a vertical profile of turbidity, which can be converted to bottom elevation with a resolution of a fraction of a millimeter. It can be used as a network slave controlled by a LogDator or a PC, and some versions include a LogDator logger for self-contained operation. More...

Anchor screw in the foreground, and behind it holder tube, handle, and the SediMeter instrument itself

The original SediMeter™ prototype, mounted on an ooid ridge at Tongue of the Ocean, the Bahamas. The current-rotor option is no longer available since it does not fit on the new, smaller, SediMeter™.

An optional sensor cleaner wipes the sensor with the interval that the user selects. The operation is computer-controlled to avoid disturbing the sediment surface: the slow descent is halted a short distance above the bottom. The copper cover helps keep the mechanism itself clean by keeping sediment and light out.

Connection Options

Stand-alone: The SediMeter model SM2A has a built-in logger, that can store data either on the built-in memory (4096 measurements, retrieved by USB) or on a SD memory card up to 2 GB.

Network: Both model SM2A and SM2N can be used as a network slave. The master, the unit that stores data, can be a LogDator™ (on a buoy, on shore, or under water), or a PC on land.

On a LogDator Buoy the data from an entire network is stored on a single SD memory card, with one file per instrument. It is solar powered. (Conceptual drawing, actual design will vary.)

Telemetry: A part of the cable between the logger and the slaves can be a radio link. It is possible to have more than one slave connected to a single radio buoy, and to have several radio buoys, as long as one does not exceed the maximum number of addressable slaves: 255.

A Telemetry Buoy links a single SediMeter or a network segment with the logger, or real-time display unit, via a radio link. The buoy also contains solar panels and rechargeable batteries. (Conceptual drawing, actual design will vary.)

PC software

SediMeter.exe — the PC software for analyzing data from the SediMeter and LogDator. It workd for for real time monitoring of a single instrument or a network, as well as for post-processing of data.

SediMeter.exe™ Control panel with the Setup tab for setting mission parameters

Corers and Samplers

These mechanical devices have a long history of use in sediment studies in Sweden and elsewhere. Unlike the SediMeter, which is manufactured by us in USA, these are manufactured by our supplier in Sweden according to the original drawings.

Axelsson sediment corer. The rectangular shape makes it ideal for quantitative X-ray studies of sediment physical properties, while the open-flow valve makes it suitable for sampling the top loose surface of the sediments. This makes it optimal for studies of recent sedimentation with a resolution of years or parts of years, such as in environmental research.

Nilsson depth-integrating suspended sediment sampler. For analyzing sediment transport in rivers and streams, and for taking a water sample in situ for calibration of turbidimeter measurements. It is light-weight enough to carry in the field, yet stable enough to use in fast streams.

This pressure filtration cylinder can be used in the field to remove the water from the sample. By disposing of the water a field crew may be able to take a hundred times more samples, which significantly improves the quality of the rating curve that can be made. This cylinder has been a de facto standard in Sweden for half a century.