Where Air and Sea Meet

A diver works under the Air-Sea Interaction Tower, part of the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory, while R/V Tioga waits a short distance away. Installed three kilometers offshore, the tower stands in 15 meters of water and extends 22 meters above the surface. Outfitted with sonic anemometers and laser altimeters in 2004, the tower has helped scientists investigate wind-wave interactions that could improve weather forecasting and climate variability projections. Connected via fiber-optic cable to a shore lab, the tower also acts as an “extension cord” for instruments that scientists use to make remote observations about the coastal environment. (Photo by Sean Whelan, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)