Search

© The Author(s), 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Todd, R. E., Chavez, F. P., Clayton, S., Cravatte, S., Goes, M., Greco, M., Ling, X., Sprintall, J., Zilberman, N., V., Archer, M., Aristegui, J., Balmaseda, M., Bane, J. M., Baringer, M. O., Barth, J. A., Beal, L. M., Brandt, P., Calil, P. H. R., Campos, E., Centurioni, L. R., Chidichimo, M. P., Cirano, M., Cronin, M. F., Curchitser, E. N., Davis, R. E., Dengler, M., deYoung, B., Dong, S., Escribano, R., Fassbender, A. J., Fawcett, S. E., Feng, M., Goni, G. J., Gray, A. R., Gutierrez, D., Hebert, D., Hummels, R., Ito, S., Krug, M., Lacan, F., Laurindo, L., Lazar, A., Lee, C. M., Lengaigne, M., Levine, N. M., Middleton, J., Montes, I., Muglia, M., Nagai, T., Palevsky, H., I., Palter, J. B., Phillips, H. E., Piola, A., Plueddemann, A. J., Qiu, B., Rodrigues, R. R., Roughan, M., Rudnick, D. L., Rykaczewski, R. R., Saraceno, M., Seim, H., Sen Gupta, A., Shannon, L., Sloyan, B. M., Sutton, A. J., Thompson, L., van der Plas, A. K., Volkov, D., Wilkin, J., Zhang, D., & Zhang, L. Global perspectives on observing ocean boundary current systems. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, (2010); 423, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00423., Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations., RT was supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Endowed Fund for Innovative Research at WHOI. FC was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. MGo was funded by NSF and NOAA/AOML. XL was funded by China’s National Key Research and Development Projects (2016YFA0601803), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41490641, 41521091, and U1606402), and the Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (2017ASKJ01). JS was supported by NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program (Award NA15OAR4320071). DZ was partially funded by the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) under NOAA Cooperative Agreement NA15OAR4320063. BS was supported by IMOS and CSIRO’s Decadal Climate Forecasting Project. We gratefully acknowledge the wide range of funding sources from many nations that have enabled the observations and analyses reviewed here.

© The Author(s), 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Todd, R. E., Chavez, F. P., Clayton, S., Cravatte, S., Goes, M., Greco, M., Ling, X., Sprintall, J., Zilberman, N., V., Archer, M., Aristegui, J., Balmaseda, M., Bane, J. M., Baringer, M. O., Barth, J. A., Beal, L. M., Brandt, P., Calil, P. H. R., Campos, E., Centurioni, L. R., Chidichimo, M. P., Cirano, M., Cronin, M. F., Curchitser, E. N., Davis, R. E., Dengler, M., deYoung, B., Dong, S., Escribano, R., Fassbender, A. J., Fawcett, S. E., Feng, M., Goni, G. J., Gray, A. R., Gutierrez, D., Hebert, D., Hummels, R., Ito, S., Krug, M., Lacan, F., Laurindo, L., Lazar, A., Lee, C. M., Lengaigne, M., Levine, N. M., Middleton, J., Montes, I., Muglia, M., Nagai, T., Palevsky, H., I., Palter, J. B., Phillips, H. E., Piola, A., Plueddemann, A. J., Qiu, B., Rodrigues, R. R., Roughan, M., Rudnick, D. L., Rykaczewski, R. R., Saraceno, M., Seim, H., Sen Gupta, A., Shannon, L., Sloyan, B. M., Sutton, A. J., Thompson, L., van der Plas, A. K., Volkov, D., Wilkin, J., Zhang, D., & Zhang, L. Global perspectives on observing ocean boundary current systems. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, (2010); 423, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00423., Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations., RT was supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Endowed Fund for Innovative Research at WHOI. FC was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. MGo was funded by NSF and NOAA/AOML. XL was funded by China’s National Key Research and Development Projects (2016YFA0601803), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41490641, 41521091, and U1606402), and the Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (2017ASKJ01). JS was supported by NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program (Award NA15OAR4320071). DZ was partially funded by the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) under NOAA Cooperative Agreement NA15OAR4320063. BS was supported by IMOS and CSIRO’s Decadal Climate Forecasting Project. We gratefully acknowledge the wide range of funding sources from many nations that have enabled the observations and analyses reviewed here.

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations.

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations.

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations.

Ocean boundary current systems are key components of the climate system, are home to highly productive ecosystems, and have numerous societal impacts. Establishment of a global network of boundary current observing systems is a critical part of ongoing development of the Global Ocean Observing System. The characteristics of boundary current systems are reviewed, focusing on scientific and societal motivations for sustained observing. Techniques currently used to observe boundary current systems are reviewed, followed by a census of the current state of boundary current observing systems globally. The next steps in the development of boundary current observing systems are considered, leading to several specific recommendations.

A Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment (CODE) has been undertaken to identify and study the important dynamical processes which govern the wind-driven motion of coastal water over the continental shelf. The initial effort in this four-year research program is to obtain high-quality data sets of all the relevant physical variables needed to construct accurate kinematic and dynamic descriptions of the response of shelf water to strong wind forcing in the 2 to 10-day band. A series of two small-scale, densely-instrumented field experiments of four-month duration (CODE-1 and CODE-2) is designed to explore and to determine the kinematics and momentum and heat balances of the local wind-driven flow over a region of the northern California shelf which is characterized by both relatively simple bottom topography and large wind stress events in both winter and summer. A more lightly-instrumented, long-term, large-scale component has been designed to help separate the local wind-driven response in the region of the small-scale experiments from motions generated either offshore by the California Current system or in some distant region along the coast, and also to help determine the seasonal cycles of the atmospheric forcing, water structure, and coastal currents over the northern California shelf. This report presents an overview of the CODE program and a preliminary description of the observational programs conducted during CODE-1. The various logical components of CODE are identified and described, and their relationship to the entire effort is discussed. The report itself represents a minor revision of the original cover proposal submitted to NSF in late 1979 by the principal investigators and is not a comprehensive guide nor does it contain any descriptions of the initial results from CODE-1. Scientific and engineering results will be presented elsewhere in individual technical and scientific reports. CODE has been jointly conceived by the following principal investigators (

A Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment (CODE) has been undertaken to identify and study the important dynamical processes which govern the wind-driven motion of coastal water over the continental shelf. The initial effort in this four-year research program is to obtain high-quality data sets of all the relevant physical variables needed to construct accurate kinematic and dynamic descriptions of the response of shelf water to strong wind forcing in the 2 to 10-day band. A series of two small-scale, densely-instrumented field experiments of four-month duration (CODE-1 and CODE-2) is designed to explore and to determine the kinematics and momentum and heat balances of the local wind-driven flow over a region of the northern California shelf which is characterized by both relatively simple bottom topography and large wind stress events in both winter and summer. A more lightly-instrumented, long-term, large-scale component has been designed to help separate the local wind-driven response in the region of the small-scale experiments from motions generated either offshore by the California Current system or in some distant region along the coast, and also to help determine the seasonal cycles of the atmospheric forcing, water structure, and coastal currents over the northern California shelf. This report presents an overview of the CODE program and a preliminary description of the observational programs conducted during CODE-1. The various logical components of CODE are identified and described, and their relationship to the entire effort is discussed. The report itself represents a minor revision of the original cover proposal submitted to NSF in late 1979 by the principal investigators and is not a comprehensive guide nor does it contain any descriptions of the initial results from CODE-1. Scientific and engineering results will be presented elsewhere in individual technical and scientific reports. CODE has been jointly conceived by the following principal investigators (

A Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment (CODE) has been undertaken to identify and study the important dynamical processes which govern the wind-driven motion of coastal water over the continental shelf. The initial effort in this four-year research program is to obtain high-quality data sets of all the relevant physical variables needed to construct accurate kinematic and dynamic descriptions of the response of shelf water to strong wind forcing in the 2 to 10-day band. A series of two small-scale, densely-instrumented field experiments of four-month duration (CODE-1 and CODE-2) is designed to explore and to determine the kinematics and momentum and heat balances of the local wind-driven flow over a region of the northern California shelf which is characterized by both relatively simple bottom topography and large wind stress events in both winter and summer. A more lightly-instrumented, long-term, large-scale component has been designed to help separate the local wind-driven response in the region of the small-scale experiments from motions generated either offshore by the California Current system or in some distant region along the coast, and also to help determine the seasonal cycles of the atmospheric forcing, water structure, and coastal currents over the northern California shelf. This report presents an overview of the CODE program and a preliminary description of the observational programs conducted during CODE-1. The various logical components of CODE are identified and described, and their relationship to the entire effort is discussed. The report itself represents a minor revision of the original cover proposal submitted to NSF in late 1979 by the principal investigators and is not a comprehensive guide nor does it contain any descriptions of the initial results from CODE-1. Scientific and engineering results will be presented elsewhere in individual technical and scientific reports. CODE has been jointly conceived by the following principal investigators (

As part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, 306 autonomous floats were deployed in the tropical and South Pacific Ocean and 228 were deployed in the Indian Ocean to observe the basinwide circulation near 900-m depth. Mean velocities, seasonal variability, and lateral eddy diffusivity from the resultant 2583 float-years of data are presented. Area averages, local function fits, and a novel application of objective mapping are used to estimate the mean circulation. Patterns of mean circulation resemble those at the surface in both basins. Well-developed subtropical gyres, twice as strong in the Indian Ocean as in the Pacific, feed western boundary currents. Tropical gyres are separated by eastward flow along the equator in both hemispheres of both basins, although the Indian subcontinent splits the north Indian tropical gyre. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and west wind drifts are prominent in both basins, generally tending slightly southward but deviating to the north behind the Del Cano, Kerguelen, and Campbell Plateaus and, of course, South America. Remarkably, the eastern boundaries of the southern subtropical gyres in all three basins apparently occur in the ocean interior, away from land. The Indian Ocean's subtropical gyre, and perhaps part of the South Atlantic's, reaches east to a retroflection just upstream of the Campbell Plateau south of New Zealand. Seasonal variability at 900 m is focused around the equator with weaker variability found near certain bathymetric features. There is a remarkable agreement between the observed seasonable variability and that predicted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) data-assimilating numerical model. Aside from seasonal effects, eddy variability is greatest along the equator, in tropical and subtropical western basins, and along the ACC. Integrals of velocity across regional passages (Tasman Sea, Mozambique Channel) provide useful reference for

As part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, 306 autonomous floats were deployed in the tropical and South Pacific Ocean and 228 were deployed in the Indian Ocean to observe the basinwide circulation near 900-m depth. Mean velocities, seasonal variability, and lateral eddy diffusivity from the resultant 2583 float-years of data are presented. Area averages, local function fits, and a novel application of objective mapping are used to estimate the mean circulation. Patterns of mean circulation resemble those at the surface in both basins. Well-developed subtropical gyres, twice as strong in the Indian Ocean as in the Pacific, feed western boundary currents. Tropical gyres are separated by eastward flow along the equator in both hemispheres of both basins, although the Indian subcontinent splits the north Indian tropical gyre. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and west wind drifts are prominent in both basins, generally tending slightly southward but deviating to the north behind the Del Cano, Kerguelen, and Campbell Plateaus and, of course, South America. Remarkably, the eastern boundaries of the southern subtropical gyres in all three basins apparently occur in the ocean interior, away from land. The Indian Ocean's subtropical gyre, and perhaps part of the South Atlantic's, reaches east to a retroflection just upstream of the Campbell Plateau south of New Zealand. Seasonal variability at 900 m is focused around the equator with weaker variability found near certain bathymetric features. There is a remarkable agreement between the observed seasonable variability and that predicted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) data-assimilating numerical model. Aside from seasonal effects, eddy variability is greatest along the equator, in tropical and subtropical western basins, and along the ACC. Integrals of velocity across regional passages (Tasman Sea, Mozambique Channel) provide useful reference for

The OPUS (Organization of Persistent Upwelling Structures) program deployed two current meter (VMCM) moorings near Point Conception, California, during April-July 1983. Current and temperature data from these moorings are summarized here. In addition, data from two nearby NDBC (National Data Buoy Center) meteorological buoys are presented., Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE 82-13968 and OCE 80-14942.

The OPUS (Organization of Persistent Upwelling Structures) program deployed two current meter (VMCM) moorings near Point Conception, California, during April-July 1983. Current and temperature data from these moorings are summarized here. In addition, data from two nearby NDBC (National Data Buoy Center) meteorological buoys are presented., Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE 82-13968 and OCE 80-14942.

The OPUS (Organization of Persistent Upwelling Structures) program deployed two current meter (VMCM) moorings near Point Conception, California, during April-July 1983. Current and temperature data from these moorings are summarized here. In addition, data from two nearby NDBC (National Data Buoy Center) meteorological buoys are presented., Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE 82-13968 and OCE 80-14942.

Our overall goal is to increase the capabilities of today s long-rage Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) and Unmanned Underwater Gliders (UUGs) by using high-energy-density lithium-seawater batteries. Specific objectives are (1) to test in the laboratory and ocean new lithium-seawater batteries developed and manufactured by the PolyPlus Battery Company, (2) to discover how to mount and operate these cells to minimize adverse impacts of limited mass transfer with the ambient seawater and of bio-fouling, and (3) to develop a long-range underwater UUV or UUG to exploit this energy source. Our target is to double the range/duration of long-range neutrally buoyant underwater vehicles.

This project s objective was to design and build an ADOP to be deployed from aircraft through an Asized (4.875 inch diameter, 36 inches long) sonobuoy tube. The performance goal was 200 dives to 400 m depth with a scientific payload of 1.5 kg using Iridium communication and GPS locating at the surface. ADOP was intended to be the basis for air-deployed arrays that establish persistent area surveillance over regions O(100 km) on a side without post-deployment maintenance.

Our goal is to develop an air-deployable ocean profiler (ADOP) that will make it feasible to rapidly deploy regional upper-ocean observing arrays. This project's objective is to develop ADOP to be deployed from aircraft through an A-sized (4.875 inch diameter, 36 inches long) sonobuoy tube. The performance goal is 200 dives to 500 m depth with a scientific payload of 1 kg. The float will use Iridium communication and GPS locating while at the surface. ADOP is intended to be the basis for air-deployed arrays that establish persistent area surveillance over regions O(100 km) on a side without post-deployment maintenance.

A full-scale adaptive ocean sampling network was deployed throughout the month-long 2006 Adaptive Sampling and Prediction (ASAP) field experiment in Monterey Bay, California. One of the central goals of the field experiment was to test and demonstrate newly developed techniques for coordinated motion control of autonomous vehicles carrying environmental sensors to efficiently sample the ocean.We describe the field results for the heterogeneous fleet of autonomous underwater gliders that collected data continuously throughout the month-long experiment. Six of these gliders were coordinated autonomously for 24 days straight using feedback laws that scale with the number of vehicles. These feedback laws were systematically computed using recently developed methodology to produce desired collective motion patterns, tuned to the spatial and temporal scales in the sampled fields for the purpose of reducing statistical uncertainty in field estimates. The implementation was designed to allow for adaptation of coordinated sampling patterns using human-in-theloop decision making, guided by optimization and prediction tools. The results demonstrate an innovative tool for ocean sampling and provide a proof of concept for an important field robotics endeavor that integrates coordinated motion control with adaptive sampling. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Scripps team is committed to expanding the spectrum of long-duration autonomous instruments available for observing the ocean and its processes. This project's objective is to develop an ocean profiling float, in the style of an Argo float, that can be deployed from aircraft through an A-sized (4.875-inch diameter, 36-inch long) sonobuoy chute. We believe that the availability of aircraft with an A-sized chute capability would allow an air deployable float with a multi-month lifespan to provide a unique capability to rapidly establish persistent area surveillance over regions of tens to hundreds of kilometers on a side. Our initial design target for an air-deployable float is 500-meter depth capability; Iridium communications; GPS locating; and 280 dives with a 1000 gm science payload using a 14-D-cell alkaline battery pack, or 450 dives with a 1600 gm science payload using a 10 D-cell lithium primary battery pack.

The objectives of this project were as follows: (1) improve the autonomous underwater glider "Spray" so that it could be more easily used in Naval operations, (2) use Spray to carry out sampling that demonstrates glider capabilities within the framework of a 1-month Naval operation in the Kuroshio, and (3) construct 9 improved Spray gliders to be made available for ONR-sponsored oceanographic research studies and headquartered at Scripps.

Author Posting. © Oceanography Society, 2009. This article is posted here by permission of Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 22 no. 2 (2009): 34-43., The Argo Program has created the first global array for observing the subsurface ocean. Argo arose from a compelling scientific need for climate-relevant ocean data; it was made possible by technology development and implemented through international collaboration. The float program and its data management system began with regional arrays in 1999, scaled up to global deployments by 2004, and achieved its target of 3000 active instruments in 2007. US Argo, supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Navy through the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, provides half of the floats in the international array, plus leadership in float technology, data management, data quality control, international coordination, and outreach. All Argo data are freely available without restriction, in real time and in research-quality forms. Uses of Argo data range from oceanographic research, climate research, and education, to operational applications in ocean data assimilation and seasonal-to-decadal prediction. Argo’s value grows as its data accumulate and their applications are better understood. Continuing advances in profiling float and sensor technologies open many exciting possibilities for Argo’s future, including expanding sampling into high latitudes and the deep ocean, improving near-surface sampling, and adding biogeochemical parameters., The authors and their part of the Argo Program were supported by US Argo via the National Ocean Partnership Program, including NOAA Grants NA17RJ1231 (SIO–JIMO), NA17RJ1232 (UW–JISAO), and NA17RJ1223 (WHOI-CICOR).

Author Posting. © Oceanography Society, 2009. This article is posted here by permission of Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 22 no. 2 (2009): 34-43., The Argo Program has created the first global array for observing the subsurface ocean. Argo arose from a compelling scientific need for climate-relevant ocean data; it was made possible by technology development and implemented through international collaboration. The float program and its data management system began with regional arrays in 1999, scaled up to global deployments by 2004, and achieved its target of 3000 active instruments in 2007. US Argo, supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Navy through the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, provides half of the floats in the international array, plus leadership in float technology, data management, data quality control, international coordination, and outreach. All Argo data are freely available without restriction, in real time and in research-quality forms. Uses of Argo data range from oceanographic research, climate research, and education, to operational applications in ocean data assimilation and seasonal-to-decadal prediction. Argo’s value grows as its data accumulate and their applications are better understood. Continuing advances in profiling float and sensor technologies open many exciting possibilities for Argo’s future, including expanding sampling into high latitudes and the deep ocean, improving near-surface sampling, and adding biogeochemical parameters., The authors and their part of the Argo Program were supported by US Argo via the National Ocean Partnership Program, including NOAA Grants NA17RJ1231 (SIO–JIMO), NA17RJ1232 (UW–JISAO), and NA17RJ1223 (WHOI-CICOR).

The investigators' goal is to develop the capabilities of autonomous underwater gliders to be maintained and piloted at sea for periods of several months and to exploit this capability to address fundamental questions in ocean science.

The Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network Phase Two (AOSN-II) experiment was conducted in and offshore from the Monterey Bay on the central California coast during 23 July - 6 September 2003. The objective of the experiment was to learn how to apply new tools, technologies, and analysis techniques to adaptively sample the coastal ocean in a manner demonstrably superior to traditional methodologies, and to use the information gathered to improve predictive skill for quantities interest to end-users. The scientific goal was to study the upwelling/relaxation cycle near an open coastal bay in an eastern boundary current region developed and spread from a coastal headland. The suite of observational tools used included a low-flying aircraft, a fleet of underwater gliders, under adaptive autonomous control, and propeller-driven AUVs in addition to moorings, ships, and other more traditional hardware. The data were time and assimilated into the Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS), the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (JPL/ROMS). Two upwelling events and one relaxation event were sampled during the experiment. The space and time scales of the mesoscale variability were much shorter than have been previously observed in deep-water eddies offshore. Additional process studies are needed to elucidate the dynamics of the flow., Pub. in Deep-Sea Research II, v56 p68-86, 2009.

The investigators goal is to develop the capabilities of autonomous underwater gliders to be maintained and piloted at sea for periods of several months and to exploit this capability to address fundamental questions in ocean science. Underwater gliders are progressing from a developing technology to an operational tool. A major challenge now is to determine what tasks gliders are most suited to perform, a determination that is important to naval operation and to research application. Our objective is to quantify the capabilities of the Spray underwater glider in the field in both Navy and research applications.

Author Posting. © IEEE, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of IEEE for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Proceedings of the IEEE 95 (2007): 48-74, doi:10.1109/jproc.2006.887295., This paper addresses the design of mobile sensor networks for optimal data collection. The development is strongly motivated by the application to adaptive ocean sampling for an autonomous ocean observing and prediction system. A performance metric, used to derive optimal paths for the network of mobile sensors, defines the optimal data set as one which minimizes error in a model estimate of the sampled field. Feedback control laws are presented that stably coordinate sensors on structured tracks that have been optimized over a minimal set of parameters. Optimal, closed-loop solutions are computed in a number of low-dimensional cases to illustrate the methodology. Robustness of the performance to the influence of a steady flow field on relatively slow-moving mobile sensors is also explored.

Author Posting. © IEEE, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of IEEE for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Proceedings of the IEEE 95 (2007): 48-74, doi:10.1109/jproc.2006.887295., This paper addresses the design of mobile sensor networks for optimal data collection. The development is strongly motivated by the application to adaptive ocean sampling for an autonomous ocean observing and prediction system. A performance metric, used to derive optimal paths for the network of mobile sensors, defines the optimal data set as one which minimizes error in a model estimate of the sampled field. Feedback control laws are presented that stably coordinate sensors on structured tracks that have been optimized over a minimal set of parameters. Optimal, closed-loop solutions are computed in a number of low-dimensional cases to illustrate the methodology. Robustness of the performance to the influence of a steady flow field on relatively slow-moving mobile sensors is also explored.

The investigators goal is to develop the capabilities of autonomous underwater gliders to be maintained and piloted at sea for periods of several months and to exploit this capability to address fundamental questions in ocean science. Underwater gliders are progressing from a developing technology to an operational tool. A major challenge now is to determine what tasks gliders are most suited to perform, a determination that is important to naval operation and to research applications. Our objective is to quantify the capabilities of the Spray underwater glider in the field in both Navy and research applications.

Argo is a global array of 3,000 free-drifting profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean. This allows, for the first time, continuous monitoring of the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the upper ocean, with all data being relayed and made publicly available within hours after collection. The Argo array provides unprecedented views of the evolving physical state of the ocean. It reveals the physical processes that balance the large-scale heat and freshwater budgets of the ocean and provides a crucial data set for initialization of and assimilation in seasonal-to-decadal forecast models. Argo is central to an unprecedented capability for global assessment of the evolving climate state of the ocean. The thermal structure of the upper ocean controls the temperature of the lower atmosphere, and is the primary variable defining the physical environment of ocean ecosystems. Over 90% of the increased heat content due to global warming of the air/sea/ice climate system in the past 40 years occurred in the oceans. Climate stresses on ocean ecosystems have serious consequences, and sometimes dramatic ones, such as coral reef bleaching. In the future, the impacts of a varying climate on the health of the seas and coastal ecosystems will become an increasingly important aspect of resource management. The unique niche of the Argo array is to provide global broad-scale observations of the upper ocean. This report covers Year 5 of the 5-year project, and builds on progress made by previous awards (Phases 1 and 2) for pilot float arrays, data systems development, and international coordination. In 2006, 400 CTD profiling floats were deployed. Float deployments targeted the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Developments in 2006 included deployment of operational floats employing Iridium telecommunications and deployment of floats equipped with oxygen sensors., A National Oceanographic Partnership Program Award. Award Numbers: NA17RJ1231 (SIO), NA17RJ1223 (WHOI). Prepared in cooperation with the School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle WA; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami FL; and the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle WA. The original document contains color images.

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2004. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B. V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 52 (2005): 545-564, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.12.006., This study combines float data from different projects collected between 1991 and 2003 in the South Atlantic to describe the flow of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW). Velocity spacetime averages are calculated for various grid resolutions and with cells deformed to match the bathymetry, f/H or f/h (with H being the water depth and h being the thickness of the AAIW layer). When judged by the degree of alignment between respective isolines and the resulting average velocity fields, the best grid is based on a nominal cell size of 3º (latitude) by 4º (longitude) with cell shapes deformed according to f/h. Using this grid, objectively estimated mean currents (and their associated errors), as well as meridional and zonal volume transports are estimated. Results show an anticyclonic Subtropical Gyre centred near 36ºS and spanning from 23º±1°S to 46° ± 1ºS. The South Atlantic Current meanders from 33ºS to 46ºS and shows a mean speed of 9.6 ± 7.8 cm s-1 (8.5 Sv ± 3.5 Sv; 1 Sv = 1×106 m3 s-1). The northern branch of the Subtropical Gyre is located between 22ºS and 32ºS and flows westward with a mean speed of 4.7 ± 3.3 cm s-1 (9.3 Sv ± 3.4 Sv). Evidence of a cyclonic Tropical Gyre divided in two sub-cells is visible on the stream function., This work is supported through NSF-Grant no. OCE-0095647 and through the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2004. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B. V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 52 (2005): 545-564, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.12.006., This study combines float data from different projects collected between 1991 and 2003 in the South Atlantic to describe the flow of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW). Velocity spacetime averages are calculated for various grid resolutions and with cells deformed to match the bathymetry, f/H or f/h (with H being the water depth and h being the thickness of the AAIW layer). When judged by the degree of alignment between respective isolines and the resulting average velocity fields, the best grid is based on a nominal cell size of 3º (latitude) by 4º (longitude) with cell shapes deformed according to f/h. Using this grid, objectively estimated mean currents (and their associated errors), as well as meridional and zonal volume transports are estimated. Results show an anticyclonic Subtropical Gyre centred near 36ºS and spanning from 23º±1°S to 46° ± 1ºS. The South Atlantic Current meanders from 33ºS to 46ºS and shows a mean speed of 9.6 ± 7.8 cm s-1 (8.5 Sv ± 3.5 Sv; 1 Sv = 1×106 m3 s-1). The northern branch of the Subtropical Gyre is located between 22ºS and 32ºS and flows westward with a mean speed of 4.7 ± 3.3 cm s-1 (9.3 Sv ± 3.4 Sv). Evidence of a cyclonic Tropical Gyre divided in two sub-cells is visible on the stream function., This work is supported through NSF-Grant no. OCE-0095647 and through the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.

The U.S. component of the international Argo Project (http://www.argo.ucsd.edu) is implemented through this award. The present report covers Year 4 of the 5-year project, and builds on progress made by previous awards (Phases 1 and 2) for pilot float arrays and data system development. By the end of 2006 or early 2007, Argo will have deployed a global array of 3000 profiling CTD floats (Roemmich and Owens, 2000, Roemmich et al, 2002, Gould, 2004), and established a data system to meet the needs of both operational and scientific users for data delivery in real time and delayed mode. The Argo array will provide unprecedented views of the evolving physical state of the ocean. It will reveal the physical processes that balance the large-scale heat and freshwater budgets of the ocean and will provide a crucial dataset for initialization of and assimilation in seasonal-todecadal forecast models. Argo is a major initiative in oceanography, with research and operational objectives, providing a global dataset for climate science and other applications. It is a pilot project of the Global Ocean Observing System., Sponsored in part by grant nos. NA17RJ1231 and NA17RJ1223. Prepared in cooperation with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami, FL, and NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA.

Argo is a global array of 3,000 free-drifting profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean. This allows, for the first time, continuous monitoring of the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the upper ocean, with all data being relayed and made publicly available within hours after collection. The Argo array provides unprecedented views of the evolving physical state of the ocean. It reveals the physical processes that balance the large-scale heat and freshwater budgets of the ocean and provides a crucial data set for initialization of and assimilation in seasonal-to-decadal forecast models. Argo is central to an unprecedented capability for global assessment of the evolving climate state of the ocean. The thermal structure of the upper ocean controls the temperature of the lower atmosphere, and is the primary variable defining the physical environment of ocean ecosystems. Over 90% of the increased heat content due to global warming of the air/sea/ice climate system in the past 40 years occurred in the oceans. Climate stresses on ocean ecosystems have serious consequences, and sometimes dramatic ones, such as coral reef bleaching. In the future, the impacts of a varying climate on the health of the seas and coastal ecosystems will become an increasingly important aspect of resource management. The unique niche of the Argo array is to provide global broad-scale observations of the upper ocean. This report covers Year 4 of the 5-year project, and builds on progress made by previous awards (Phases 1 and 2) for pilot float arrays, data systems development, and international coordination. In 2005, 450 CTD profiling floats were deployed. Float deployments targeted the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Developments in 2005 included deployment of the first operational floats employing Iridium telecommunications and deployment of 22 floats equipped with oxygen sensors., A National Oceanographic Partnership Program Award. Award Numbers: NA17RJ1231 (SIO), NA17RJ1223 (WHOI). Prepared in cooperation with the School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle WA; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami FL; and the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle WA. The original document contains color images.

Argo is a global array of 3,000 free-drifting profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean. This allows, for the first time, continuous monitoring of the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the upper ocean, with all data being relayed and made publicly available within hours after collection. The Argo array provides unprecedented views of the evolving physical state of the ocean. It reveals the physical processes that balance the large-scale heat and freshwater budgets of the ocean and provides a crucial data set for initialization of and assimilation in seasonal-to-decadal forecast models. Argo is central to an unprecedented capability for global assessment of the evolving climate state of the ocean. The thermal structure of the upper ocean controls the temperature of the lower atmosphere, and is the primary variable defining the physical environment of ocean ecosystems. Over 90% of the increased heat content due to global warming of the air/sea/ice climate system in the past 40 years occurred in the oceans. Climate stresses on ocean ecosystems have serious consequences, and sometimes dramatic ones, such as coral reef bleaching. In the future, the impacts of a varying climate on the health of the seas and coastal ecosystems will become an increasingly important aspect of resource management. The unique niche of the Argo array is to provide global broad-scale observations of the upper ocean. This report covers Year 3 of the 5-year project, and builds on progress made by previous awards (Phases 1 and 2) for pilot float arrays, data systems development, and international coordination. In 2004, 390 conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiling floats were deployed. Float deployments targeted the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans., A National Oceanographic Partnership Program Award. Award Numbers: NA17RJ1231 (SIO), NA17RJ1223 (WHOI). Prepared in cooperation with the School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle WA; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA; NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami FL; and the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle WA. The original document contains color images.

Phase 1 (9/99 - 9/02) and Phase 2 (7/00 - 6/02) of US Argo provided a total of 187 CTD profiling floats in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Objectives were to demonstrate technological capabilities for fabrication and for deployment of float arrays in remote ocean locations (Phase 1) and to demonstrate the capability for manufacture and deployment of large float arrays (Phase 2). Recent technology developments in profiling floats were also implemented, including new generation salinity sensors, improved depth capability, and deployment techniques using fast ships and aircraft. Development of the U.S. Argo Data System was part of Phase 1, on a collaborative basis with international partners. Objectives are to make all Argo data publicly available within a day of collection, applying automated quality control procedures consistent with international Argo practices. Data appropriate for research applications and for comparison with climate change models are not available for several months since they need quality control by salinity experts and evaluation of data over many (10 day) float cycles. Phase 3 is a 5-year project (8/01 - 6/06) including full implementation of the US component of Argo. This report includes Phase 3/Year 2, which deployed 290 CTD profiling floats during CY2003 plus support for these deployments, data management activities and for national and international coordination of Argo. Float deployments targeted the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Priorities for US float deployment are set by the US Argo Advisory Panel., A National Oceanographic Partnership Program Award. The original document contains color images. Sponsored in part by WHOI, grant NA-17-RJ-1223.

[1] Between 1996 and 1998, a concerted effort was made to study the deep open ocean convection in the Labrador Sea. Both in situ observations and numerical models were employed with close collaboration between the researchers in the fields of physical oceanography, boundary layer meteorology, and climate. A multitude of different methods were used to observe the state of ocean and atmosphere and determine the exchange between them over the experiment's period. The Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment data collection aims to assemble the observational data sets in order to facilitate the exchange and collaboration between the various projects and new projects for an overall synthesis. A common file format and a browsable inventory have been used so as to simplify the access to the data.

Between 1996 and 1998, a concerted effort was made to study the deep open ocean convection in the Labrador Sea. Both in situ observations and numerical models were employed with close collaboration between the researchers in the fields of physical oceanography, boundary layer meteorology, and climate. A multitude of different methods were used to observe the state of ocean and atmosphere and determine the exchange between them over the experiment's period. The Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment data collection aims to assemble the observational data sets for an overall synthesis. A common file format and a browsable inventory have been used so as to simplify the access to the data.

[1] Between 1996 and 1998, a concerted effort was made to study the deep open ocean convection in the Labrador Sea. Both in situ observations and numerical models were employed with close collaboration between the researchers in the fields of physical oceanography, boundary layer meteorology, and climate. A multitude of different methods were used to observe the state of ocean and atmosphere and determine the exchange between them over the experiment's period. The Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment data collection aims to assemble the observational data sets in order to facilitate the exchange and collaboration between the various projects and new projects for an overall synthesis. A common file format and a browsable inventory have been used so as to simplify the access to the data.

Between 1996 and 1998, a concerted effort was made to study the deep open ocean convection in the Labrador Sea. Both in situ observations and numerical models were employed with close collaboration between the researchers in the fields of physical oceanography, boundary layer meteorology, and climate. A multitude of different methods were used to observe the state of ocean and atmosphere and determine the exchange between them over the experiment's period. The Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment data collection aims to assemble the observational data sets in order to facilitate the exchange and collaboration between the various projects and new projects for an overall synthesis. A common file format and a browsable inventory have been used so as to simplify the access to the data.

The U.S. component of the international Argo Project (http://www.argo.ucsd.edu) is implemented through this award. The present report covers Year 1 of the 5-year project, plus cumulative progress from previous awards (Phases 1 and 2) for pilot float arrays and data system development. By 2006, Argo will deploy a global array of 3000 profiling CTD floats (Argo Science Team, 1998, Roemmich and Owens, 2000, Roemmich et al, 2002), and establish a data system to meet the needs of both operational and scientific users. The Argo array will provide unprecedented real-time views of the evolving physical state of the ocean. It will reveal the physical processes that balance the large-scale heat and freshwater budgets of the ocean and will provide a crucial dataset for initialization and assimilation in seasonal-to-decadal forecast models. Argo is a major initiative in oceanography, with research and operational objectives, providing a global dataset for climate science and other applications., A National Oceanographic Partnership Program Award.

Our long-term goal is to understand the biogeochemical dynamics of the ocean s upper kilometer. Such an understanding is fundamental to prediction of the processes partitioning carbon between atmosphere and ocean and to the redistribution of carbon and associated elements within the water column. Key to predictability is understanding day-to-day variability of processes governing abundances of carbon species (dissolved and particulate, inorganic and organic) in the water column. Our objective is to demonstrate the concept of low-cost autonomous profiling vehicles outfitted with a suite of low-power optical, physical and chemical sensors. When widely deployed, these will permit high-frequency four-dimensional observations of the variability of ocean biological processes, carbon biomass, upper ocean physics, and parameters of the carbon system in the upper 1000 m. It is envisioned that once proven, such vehicles can be widely deployed to explore carbon variability on global scales. An immediate objective is to demonstrate that we can explore Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC) biomass variability in the water column on daily to seasonal time-scales in remote and extreme environments., Prepared in collaboration with EO Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA.

Our long-term goal is to understand the biogeochemical dynamics of the ocean s upper kilometer. Such an understanding is fundamental to prediction of the processes partitioning carbon between atmosphere and ocean and to the redistribution of carbon and associated elements within the water column. Key to predictability is understanding day-to-day variability of processes governing abundances of carbon species (dissolved and particulate, inorganic and organic) in the water column. Our objective is to demonstrate the concept of low-cost autonomous profiling vehicles outfitted with a suite of low-power optical, physical and chemical sensors. When widely deployed, these will permit high-frequency four-dimensional observations of the variability of ocean biological processes, carbon biomass, upper ocean physics, and parameters of the carbon system in the upper 1000 m. It is envisioned that once proven, such vehicles can be widely deployed to explore carbon variability on global scales. An immediate objective is to demonstrate that we can explore Particulate Organic Carbon and Particulate Inorganic Carbon biomass variability in the water column on daily to seasonal time-scales in remote and extreme environments., Code 1 only. The original document contains color images.

The objective of this grant was to directly observe the vertical velocity, temperature and salinity fields in the Labrador Sea during the wintertime convection season in order to understand the process of water-mass formation and to test and improve numerical models of the process. The effort achieved its technical goals with respect to observations and has generated considerable debate, if not yet understanding, about the processes by which convection brings about change of deep-water masses. A total of 10 Vertical Current Meter floats built under this grant, and 4 from a predecessor grant, were deployed to observe over the winter of 1998. Added to 16 such float deployed the previous year under the predecessor grant and 30 floats prepared by collaborator Breck Owens of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, this provide an unprecedented view of the deep convection process. The data is of high quality and the data return was high considering the extreme winter conditions these instruments had to survive.

Our overall goal in this effort is to develop autonomous instruments to expand the ability of oceanographers to affordably observe the ocean. The objective of this collaboration with Breck Owens of WHOI is to develop a small autonomous glider capable of extended operation using GPS navigation and satellite communication when the glider surfaces. The instrument should be capable of maintaining station for months or occupy an upper ocean section of O(1000 km) in length., See also ADM002252.

We hope to describe deep oceanic convection well enough to critically test and guide models used to predict subsurface ocean conditions. Our objective is to use neutrally buoyant float observations to define statistics of convection plume processes (vertical velocity, temperature fluctuations, etc.) over two cooling seasons. These observations will be compared with model predictions relating typical plume properties to physical parameters (surface buoyancy flux, density stratification. etc.) thereby providing an observational test of the models' realism and allowing inadequacies to be identified., See also ADM002252.

The long-term goal of this grant was to describe the process of deep oceanic convection well enough to provide critical tests of, and guidance to, models used to predict subsurface ocean conditions. The observational objective of this project was to define the statistics of plume processes (typical vertical velocities, temperature fluctuations and the vertical heat flux) and to develop a resolved picture of how the chimney scale evolves over two complete cooling seasons. This observational picture was to be compared with model predictions that relate the plume properties to physical parameters (surface buoyancy flux, earth's rotation and the initial oceanic density stratification) and predict how chimney scale structures evolve.

During this period, activity focused on three tasks: continued testing and improvement of the basic ALACE float which will do the profiling; preliminary selection of an appropriate set of sensors from which at least sound speed profiles can be determined; development of an improved controller to handle the data stream. Keywords: Oceanographic/Acoustic equipment; Autonomous Lagrangian Circulation Explorer (ALACE) float; Autonomous measuring systems, Oceanographic measurements; Oceanographic data acquisition.

The present meter is characterized by its very accurate cosine response to current vector components of fluid (air or water) velocity parallel to the rotational axes of its propeller-like flow sensors. Structurally, it employs two flow sensors rotatably mounted on a rod or 'sting' carried by a casing. Each sensor includes a pair of back-to-back propellers or fans mounted on a single axial shaft rotatably supported by the rod. The rotational axes of the two flow sensors are normal one to the other and also normal to the axis of the rod. Rotation of the fans activates a switch-like arrangement electrically coupled to an up-down counter carried in the casing. Blade rotation in one direction yields an 'up' count and vice versa. (Author), Supersedes PAT-APPL-882 500-78, AD-D004 817.