Technology, Design, and Operation of an Autonomous Buoy System in the Western English Channel

Smyth, Tim; Fishwick, James; Gallienne, Christopher P.; Stephens, John A.; Bale, A.J.

doi:10.1175/2010jtecho734.1

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The reliability rates of these monitoring stations are within the range of values reported for other buoy systems, which are 42% to 77% in the English Channel (Smyth et al 2010) and an average of 85% for the moored buoys of the National Buoy Data Center (Wilson 1987). The buoys have therefore proven to have a robust design, which allows the creation of an observation network and consequently a real-time monitoring system at the locations where the buoys are moored to measure variables ranging from water quality (turbidity, dissolved oxygen concentration, pigment concentration, pH, etc.)…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 69%

A design proposal of real-time monitoring stations: implementation and performance in contrasting environmental conditions

Gonzalez¹,

Herrera²,

Varela³

2012

Sci. Mar.

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SUMMARY: With the aim of creating a real-time monitoring network for both oceanographic and meteorological data, a monitoring station conceptual design was developed. A common framework for software and electronics was adapted to different environmental conditions using two buoy approaches: one intended for oceanic waters, to be moored up to 30-40 m depth, where waves are the critical design factor, and one for continental waters (rivers, lakes and the inner part of estuaries), where currents are the critical design factor. When structures such as bridges are present in the area, the monitoring station can be installed on these structures, thus reducing its impact and increasing safety. In this paper, the design, implementation, operation and performance of these stations are described. A reliability index is calculated for the longest time series of the three related deployment options on the Galician coast: Cíes (oceanic buoy in front of the Ría de Vigo), Catoira (continental buoy in the Ulla river) and Cortegada (installation in a bed in the Ría de Arousa).Keywords: buoy, mooring systems, real-time data, telemetry, reliability, Galicia, environmental sensor network. RESUMEN: ProPuesta de un diseño de estación de monitorización en tiemPo real: imPlementación y rendimiento en diferentes condiciones ambientales. -Con el fin de crear una red de monitorización en tiempo real de variables tanto oceanográficas como meteorológicas, se ha desarrollado el diseño conceptual de una estación de monitorización. Este diseño común de electrónica y programación se ha adaptado a las diferentes condiciones ambientales del medio empleando dos tipos diferentes de boya: uno para aguas oceánicas, que puede ser fondeado hasta 30-40 m de profundidad, donde el oleaje es el factor crítico a tener en cuenta para su diseño, y otro para aguas continentales (ríos, lagos o incluso para la parte interior de estuarios), donde las corrientes son el principal elemento ambiental que ha de ser considerado. Asimismo, cuando existen estructuras en el medio, como puentes, esta estación puede ser instalada sobre dichas estructuras, reduciendo así su impacto e incrementando la seguridad. En este trabajo se describen el diseño, implementación, operación y funcionamiento de esta estación. También se calcula el índice de éxito en las series temporales más largas de cada una de las tres posibles ubicaciones descritas en la costa gallega: Cíes (boya oceánica frente a la Ría de Vigo), Catoira (boya continental en el río Ulla) y Cortegada (instalada en una batea en la Ría de Arousa).Palabras clave: boya, fondeo, datos en tiempo real, telemetría, fiabilidad, Galicia, red de sensores integrados en el medio.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 69%

A design proposal of real-time monitoring stations: implementation and performance in contrasting environmental conditions

Gonzalez¹,

Herrera²,

Varela³

2012

Sci. Mar.

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“…Finding a position on the ship superstructure enabling a complete and unobstructed view of the sky as well as allowing access for periodic cleaning would almost certainly improve data quality. Multiple, season-long deployments (6-12 months) of the SPN1 on the Western Channel Observatory buoy at station L4 (Smyth et al, 2010) have shown the instrument to be remarkably resilient to such problems though, as it is always retrieved in a pristine condition. It is likely here that regular washing by rainwater keeps the dome free from fouling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autonomous marine hyperspectral radiometers for determining solar irradiances and aerosol optical properties

Wood¹,

Smyth

Estellés

2017

Atmos. Meas. Tech.

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Abstract. We have developed two hyperspectral radiometer systems which require no moving parts, shade rings or motorised tracking, making them ideally suited for autonomous use in the inhospitable remote marine environment. Both systems are able to measure direct and diffuse hyperspectral irradiance in the wavelength range 350-1050 nm at 6 nm (Spectrometer 1) or 3.5 nm (Spectrometer 2) resolution. Marine field trials along a 100 • transect (between 50 • N and 50 • S) of the Atlantic Ocean resulted in close agreement with existing commercially available instruments in measuring (1) photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), with both spectrometers giving regression slopes close to unity (Spectrometer 1: 0.960; Spectrometer 2: 1.006) and R 2 ∼ 0.96; (2) irradiant energy, with R 2 ∼ 0.98 and a regression slope of 0.75 which can be accounted for by the difference in wavelength integration range; and (3) hyperspectral irradiance where the agreement on average was between 2 and 5 %. Two long duration land-based field campaigns of up to 18 months allowed both spectrometers to be well calibrated. This was also invaluable for empirically correcting for the wider field of view (FOV) of the spectrometers in comparison with the current generation of sun photometers (∼ 7.5 • compared with ∼ 1 • ). The need for this correction was also confirmed and independently quantified by atmospheric radiative transfer modelling and found to be a function of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and solar zenith angle. Once Spectrometer 2 was well calibrated and the FOV effect corrected for, the RMSE in retrievals of AOD when compared with a CIMEL sun photometer were reduced to ∼ 0.02-0.03 with R 2 > 0.95 at wavelengths 440, 500, 670 and 870 nm. Corrections for the FOV as well as ship motion were applied to the data from the marine field trials. This resulted in AOD 500 nm ranging between 0.05 in the clear background marine aerosol regions and ∼ 0.5 within the Saharan dust plume. The RMSE between the handheld Microtops sun photometer and Spectrometer 2 was between 0.047 and 0.057 with R 2 > 0.94.

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“…Chlorophyll concentration was determined for surface seawater by Turner fluorometry (Welshmeyer, 1994). Additionally, an autonomous buoy (Smyth et al, 2010b) positioned at L4 was equipped with sensors to record sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, wind speed and direction and optical properties such as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and Ultra-Violet (UV) irradiance via a Satlantic hyperspectral radiometer. Net shortwave radiation was calculated as a function of date and position according to Smyth et al (2014).…”

Section: Sampling Site and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Annual study of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in UK shelf waters

2015

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a b s t r a c tWe performed an annual study of oxygenated volatile organic compound (OVOC) seawater concentrations at a site off Plymouth, UK in the Western English Channel over the period of February 2011-March 2012. Acetone concentrations ranged from 2-10 nM (nanomole/L) in surface waters with a maximum observed in summer. Concentrations correlated positively with net shortwave radiation and UV light, suggestive of photochemically linked acetone production. We observed a clear decline in acetone concentrations below the mixed layer. Acetaldehyde varied between 4-37 nM in surface waters with higher values observed in autumn and winter. Surface concentrations of methanol ranged from 16-78 nM, but no clear annual cycle was observed. Methanol concentrations exhibited considerable inter-annual variability. We estimate consistent deposition to the sea surface for acetone and methanol but that the direction of the acetaldehyde flux varies during the year.

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Technology, Design, and Operation of an Autonomous Buoy System in the Western English Channel

Cited by 20 publications

References 12 publications

A design proposal of real-time monitoring stations: implementation and performance in contrasting environmental conditions

A design proposal of real-time monitoring stations: implementation and performance in contrasting environmental conditions

Autonomous marine hyperspectral radiometers for determining solar irradiances and aerosol optical properties

Annual study of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in UK shelf waters

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