Environmental data collection using autonomous Wave Gliders

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Authors
Hermsdorfer, Kathryn M.
Subjects
SHARC
wave glider
Airmar
NPS Met
flux
mean measurements
air-sea interaction
surface layer
Advisors
Wang, Qing
Date of Issue
2014-12
Date
Dec-14
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC), also known as Wave Glider, is an autonomous ocean vehicle powered by wave motion. This slow-moving platform makes long-term deployments and environmental data collection feasible, especially in data sparse regions or hazardous environments. The standard SHARC hosts a meteorological station (Airmar PB200) that samples air pressure, temperature, wind speed and wind direction at 1.12 m. The SHARC automatically transmits a 10-minute averaged data suite through an Iridium satellite link. In an effort to evaluate the SHARC default Airmar sensors and seek optimal sensors for air-sea interaction studies,NPS has developed an independent package of meteorological sensors, theNPS Met, for use on the SHARC.NPS Met measures pressure, air temperature, wind, SST, and relative humidity. This SHARC payload package was deployed three times in the Monterey Bay, along with a collocated drifting buoy (Marine Air-Sea Flux buoy, or MASFlux) with proven flux, mean, wave, and SST measurement for comparison and validation. This thesis will present analyses of data from the new mast and Airmar as compared to known, quality measurements fromNPS MASFlux and NDBC buoy. Surface fluxes, evaporation duct heights and strength are derived from the SHARC measurements using the COARE algorithm.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Meteorology
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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