Figure 26 The CUEA shipboard computing system. Schematic view of the CUEA Van 

 based modular computer and graphics system. This Interactive Real-Time Information 

 System (IRIS) is transportable and will be installed in a van which can be placed on the 

 deck of the ship. The central computer is connected to a peripheral processor in the ship's 

 lab by means of a single cable, in the lab, the peripheral processor samples data in real- 

 time, for example the under-way nutrients, and provides a facility for the investigators to 

 Interact at graphic terminals with the data contained in the central computer. 



IRIS provides the scientist at sea with as 

 clear a representation as possible of surround- 

 ing oceanic conditions. It acquires data in 

 real-time from an instrument array, constructs 

 an image of the real-time environmental con- 

 ditions from these data and graphically pre- 

 sents the image. The scientist is able to 

 manipulate the graphic images, perform sta- 

 tistical or analytical calculations on the data 

 and store the results in a personal disk file. 

 The instrument array includes sensors for 

 continuous collection of data on nutrient 

 chemistry, other water properties and relevant 

 meteorological measurements. Data such as 

 reversing-thermometer readings, and others 

 which require high-precision analyses but are 

 not amenable to continuous in situ measure- 

 ment are placed directly into the IRIS from 

 remote terminals. All these data and those 

 collected by sophisticated stand-alone instru- 

 ments, such as recording current meters and 

 acoustic biomass assessment systems, are 

 stored in the IRIS data files. 



IRIS provides both an information center 

 and a data-acquisition system for the CUEA 



field experiments. To perform these two func- 

 tions, IRIS is configured with dual proces- 

 sors — two Digital Equipment Corporation 

 PDP-11/45 computers — communicating over a 

 high-speed link. One processor, the major 

 storage devices and peripherals are mounted 

 on the deck in a sea-transport van (Figure 27). 

 The second processor, mounted in the ship's 

 laboratory area, functions as a data acquisi- 

 tion facility and as a handler for the interac- 

 tive graphics terminals. Data acquired by the 

 inboard processor is transmitted to the van- 

 based processor for entry into the data bank. 

 The inboard processor also uses these data to 

 construct a real-time representation of envi- 

 ronmental conditions for investigators at 

 terminals by the inboard processor. IRIS, 

 transportable in a single van, provides a highly 

 sophisticated information system for the 

 CUEA program. 



Experiments 



The foundation for the CUEA program has 

 been established by the work of more than 

 twenty physical and biological oceanograph- 



43 



