14. FIXED PLATFORMS IN OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 



Arthur L. Nelson 



U. S. Navy Electronics Laboratory 

 San Diego, California 



Until about a decade ago, nearly all oceanographic studies 

 were conducted from piers, moving vessels, or from the shore. 

 The choice of locations depended upon the particular specialty or 

 interest of the oceanographer . If such investigations included 

 studies of ocean currents, the sea floor, or midocean meteorology, 

 the oceanographic measurements were made from an oceangoing 

 ship. When near -shore phenomena such as sand transport, shore- 

 line circulation, and intertidal biology were to be investigated, the 

 studies were conducted from the beaches, platforms, or piers. 



The U. S. oil industry first demonstrated the value and practi- 

 cability of constructing offshore fixed platfornns or towers. Such 

 structures have been used to pursue oceanographic research. Al- 

 though these fixed platfornns entail certain disadvantages, they are 

 superior in vital respects to all other types of facilities. 



The principal advantage in the use of oceanographic towers 

 over vessels anchored in the same location is their stability. A 

 fixed platform virtually eiinninates the motions caused by waves, 

 winds, and currents, and the recording, processing, and analyzing 

 of data are, therefore, more precise. In miost cases, it is possi- 

 ble to stabilize instruments in depth. The lowered efficiency on 

 oceangoing vessels caused by the absence of seasick personnel is 

 a factor not experienced. The absence of adequate electrical power 

 is no longer a problem. With a fixed platform, or tower, contin- 

 uous measurements can be made over long periods of time at the 

 same geographical location. 



An outstanding advantage of the fixed platform at sea is its 

 economy of operation. Oceangoing vessels are well known to be 

 extremely expensive to maintain and operate. The smaller towers 

 may be, by comparison, adequately manned by two or three per- 

 sonnel or can be left unattended for considerable periods of time. 

 Computed comparisons of maintenance costs between ships and 



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