MARINE Channel

This presentation will discuss how ADCPs on Wave Gliders provide a viable and flexible way to get critical upper-ocean current data. ADCPs on Wave Gliders provide a more efficient way to get key oceanographic data. Operating unmanned vehicle is much less costly than operating ships. Carrying ADCPs on these unmanned vehicles provides a flexible and economical means for monitoring upper-ocean currents. Liquid Robotics Wave Gliders have demonstrated the power of this approach with deployments in locations and conditions around the world.

For scientific studies, Wave Gliders carrying ADCPs can simplify exploring upper-ocean responses to atmosphere forcing. This tool can also show current circulation patterns in sparsely-observed oceanic regions. Where currents are weaker, Wave Gliders with ADCPs can replace ships in some types of recurring surveys. As well as returning detailed and extensive data sets, this approach reduces costs and resources for operators and provides flexibility (e.g., changing profiles based on real-time samples). Examples include fisheries management, monitoring the marine environment, and providing indicators for El Nino and climate change.

Wave Gliders with ADCPs are likely to play an enhanced role in operational support for industry. They provide a unique means to see and deliver information about the underwater situation. This approach can improve safety and efficiency as well as reduce risks. It can also provide warnings where industrial activity overlaps with sensitive marine life and environments.

By: Ryan Carlon, Liquid Robotics Inc