Image : Ocean Observatory Initiative

Figure 4. Schematic of the sampling platforms at a global array site: In the near corner of the triangular array (about 100 km on a side) there is a surface mooring and an adjacent profiler mooring. The surface mooring has power generation, a platform for sampling the air-sea interface, and hardware for sending data via satellite. The profiler mooring has two profilers: one below a subsurface float at about 200m depth, which profiles from there down to the sea floor, and one that winches itself from 200m up to the sea surface, profiling 0-200m. The far corners of the array have taut subsurface moorings with instruments attached along the mooring lines. Three gliders will sample between and around the moorings and will acoustically collect data from the subsurface moorings.

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Last updated: August 7, 2009