Moorings and Drifters for Real-Time Interdisciplinary Oceanography

TLDR

The OASIS controllers are part of a long‑term coastal ocean observatory that integrates ships, submersibles, remote sensing platforms, and data management, and moorings are expected to be key tools for tracking environmental variability over long timescales. This paper describes the OASIS controller, its deployment on moorings and drifters, and presents oceanographic data from central California and the equatorial Pacific. The OASIS controller retrieves data from up to 28 sensors, provides scheduling, control software, data logging, preliminary processing, and two‑way telemetry that enables real‑time access and parameter adjustments, and has been tested on multiple drifter deployments. Two OASIS moorings have been successfully deployed off central California since 1992, and real‑time telemetry has turned them into testbeds for new sensors and widely used observational and planning tools.

Abstract

A telemetering electronics/control unit (OASIS) has been developed for use on moorings and free-floating drifters. The OASIS controllers are part of a long-term “coastal ocean observatory,” consisting of an infrastructure of ships, submersibles, an array of remote sensing platforms (moorings, drifters), communication links between sensors and laboratory, and data management facilities. The OASIS controller coordinates retrieval of data from a varying array of up to 28 oceanographic sensors, which may output digital, analog, or frequency data. The controller provides scheduling, sensor control software, data logging, preliminary data processing, and two-way telemetry between remote platform and ship or shore station. Telemetry allows real-time access to data and permits users to alter control parameters as necessary. Two OASIS moorings have been successfully deployed off the central California coast since 1992. Real-time access and two-way telemetry has allowed the moorings to become testbeds for the deployment of new sensors and widely used observational and planning tools. Over longer timescales the moorings will be an important tool for tracking environmental variability. OASIS drifters have been tested in 11 deployments off California and 3 deployments in the equatorial Pacific. This paper describes the OASIS controller, its deployment on moorings and drifters, and presents oceanographic data that demonstrate the types of information obtained both from central California and the equatorial Pacific.