Chapter 5 Recent Technological Developments 



In recent years significant advances have been 

 made in data-collection devices and their asso- 

 ciated platforms. AppHcation of these advances, 

 together with technology now under development, 

 promise dramatic improvements in our ability to 

 observe the total environment, process and trans- 

 mit the resulting data. Extrapolations of present 

 technology make it appear feasible that the future 

 environmental monitoring and prediction system 

 will provide automatic processing of data com- 

 municated (possibly relayed from satelhtes) from 

 over the entire globe in real time. Computers 

 would test data reliability. Some environmental 

 sensors would be in near-continuous operation, 

 permitting computer systems to operate in a 

 continuously updating mode. At regular intervals 

 the system would produce required forecast charts 

 and other processed data which would be dis- 

 seminated to users. The system could also be 

 interrogated to yield specialized forecasts on de- 

 mand. New display devices will supplant the 

 present printed chart, telephoned forecast, and 

 personal briefing. 



It is not yet possible to stipulate the complete 

 and detailed composition of the system; the 

 evaluation of the proper mbc of platforms and 

 instruments, based on performance, cost, and 

 reliabiUty, is one that must be addressed (cf. 

 Chapter 9). 



In this chapter several current efforts in the 

 technology associated with environmental moni- 

 toring are reviewed. 



I. FIXED STATIONS-BUOYS 



Fixed stations, on which to install automatic 

 instrumentation, include buoys, islands, radar 

 towers, oil rigs, and ocean bottom facilities. Some 

 fixed stations offer a relatively inexpensive plat- 

 form for the collection of marine data. Earlier in 

 this report the panel has recommended that 

 additional offshore oil-driUing platforms be instru- 

 mented. Towers extensively instrumented for re- 

 search purposes' have adequately demonstrated 

 feasibility. 



LaFond, E.C., The U.S. Navy Electronic Labora- 

 tory's Oceanographic Research Tower; Its Development 

 and Utilization. Research and Development Report, 

 NEL/Report 1342, Dec. 22, 1965. 



Fixed stations now routinely collect data that 

 includes temperature, acoustics, salinity, sea state, 

 currents, and near-sea weather. Additional meas- 

 urements are technically feasible and may be 

 included in future programs; these include oxygen; 

 nutrients such as phosphates, nitrates, and nitrites; 

 chlorophyll; bioluminescence; transparency; and a 

 measure of biomass by acoustic or photometric 

 techniques. 



Because of the special current interest and 

 possible wide apphcation, we have concentrated 

 here on buoy development; sensors developed for 

 buoy applications are also useful for other plat- 

 forms. Several recent developments will be briefly 

 discussed and the present status of the field 

 surveyed; the panel has not attempted a compre- 

 hensive review of the field since recent reports^ 

 present a thorough description of current capa- 

 biUties and design considerations. 



Buoy instruments to sense pressure, tempera- 

 ture, salinity, sound velocity, current speed and 

 direction are now generally available. Basic meas- 

 urements are converted into electrical impulses for 

 transmission. Reliable transmission of the data 

 from the platform to a shore station still requires 

 further test and evaluation. The ocean platform 

 typically consists of the flotation hull, power 

 supply, mooring, and aids to navigation. It is 

 generally recognized that extensive efforts are still 

 required in the development of reliable anchors, 

 moorings, power supplies, and hulls. The buoy 

 system, to be operationally useful, must be capa- 

 ble of rough handling and easy serviceability. 



Support may include ships for routine service as 

 well as on-station replacement, shore stations to 

 support the service ships, communication stations 

 to provide the transmission link, and associated 

 training, repair, and supply support. For an effec- 

 tive large-scale system, it will be necessary to 

 consider the design of the service ships and the 



^"A Study of the Feasibility of National Data Buoy 

 Systems"-Final Report, July 1967. TRC Report 

 7485-256, Prepared for the U.S. Coast Guard under 

 Contract No. TCG-16790-A; Transactions, 2nd Interna- 

 tional Buoy Technology Symposium/Exposition; Sept. 

 18-20, 1967. Washington, D.C., Marine Technology 

 Society. 



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