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Ocean Observatories

The Pioneer Array, part of the US Ocean Observatories Initiative. (Creative Studio, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Citizens, sailors, and scientists have observed the seas for centuries, first from the shore, then from ships and submersibles, and recently from satellites. Along the way, scientists and engineers learned that they could sometimes leave instruments in the ocean, secured by wires, buoys, weights, and floats. Each new attempt has advanced our understanding of the ocean system and its interaction with the rest of the planet.

The next big leap will take the form of ocean observatories—suites of instruments and sensors with long-term power supplies and permanent communications links that can feed data to scientific laboratories in real-time.

Motivated by advances in computing, telecommunications, and marine architecture, researchers no longer want to just observe the ocean for short periods in small places. They are thinking big—tectonic plate big, ocean basin big, global system big—and long-term.

Ocean observatories are designed to ask fundamental questions about how the planet works. They will use novel technologies and techniques such as satellite communications, acoustic modems, and fiber-optic cables stretching hundreds of miles across the seafloor to ask questions of the planet that cannot be posed by short-term expeditions.

Ocean scientists plan to maintain their observations over months and years to study how the Earth, ocean, and atmosphere evolve and interact. They want to ask questions that cross scientific boundaries, such as how ocean chemistry affects biology or how the geology on the seafloor affects the physics of flowing water.

Observatories will allow scientists to adjust their experiments and talk to their instruments from hundreds of miles away in shore-based laboratories. This capability will also allow researchers to share what they learn in real-time with scientific colleagues, policymakers, educators, students, and the public.

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News & Insights

Can seismic data mules protect us from the next big one?

Ocean scientists leverage game-changing technologies to improve our understanding of the global ocean’s most dangerous earthquake faults and enable more advanced warnings for seismic risk.

Gift enables new investments in ocean technologies

A grant from the Coleman and Susan Burke Foundation has allowed WHOI to make crucial investments in remote technology that enhance research innovation at sea. New video monitors aboard the…

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WHOI in the News


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From Oceanus Magazine

From Northern California to Ocean Engineer

OOI engineer Irene Duran’s life took her from a dry, hot California town to a career where preparing for inclement weather is part of the job

In the Ocean Twilight Zone, Life Remains a Mystery

A New, Long-term Observation Network Could Help Reveal Its Secrets

New glider design aims to expand access to ocean science

Gliders are vehicles vital to collecting oceanographic data, but not accessible to everyone in the ocean community. A team of WHOI engineers want to change that

Gift enables new investments in ocean technologies

A grant from the Coleman and Susan Burke Foundation has allowed WHOI to make crucial investments in remote technology that enhance research innovation at sea. New video monitors aboard the…

Can seismic data mules protect us from the next big one?

Researchers look to new seafloor earthquake detection systems for better detection and warning of seismic risk