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Sediment_level_logger

Knowledge of sediment erosion and deposition can be useful for a variety of engineering, marine science, and environmental applications, but collecting detailed sediment level time-series measurements can be challenging, particularly in coastal marine environments. We developed economical and open-source sediment level loggers to record sediment level time-series data with accuracy up to 1 cm. The logger is composed of a programmable Circuit-Python (or Arduino) microcontroller and “breakout boards” that attach to a specially designed printed circuit board (PCB) and an array of evenly spaced photoresistors enclosed in a robust waterproof housing.

The sediment level loggers described below, use light sensors to detect changes in the elevation of the seafloor. They are designed to be built on a low budget and provide substantial amounts of data over a long period of time with no user input after deployment. Desirable characteristics for this monitoring platform include:

- Assembled from a small number of low-cost, readily available components
- Supports a wide variety of analog and digital sensors
- Non-proprietary software and file formats
- Removable microSD storage media
- User-adjustable operating parameters, such as sampling interval
- Operating life span > 1 year using reusable lithium or alkaline AAA batteries
- Rugged, chemically resistant environmental housing for submerged or buried deployments”

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