Using Webb gliders to maintain a sustained ocean presence

O. Schofield; J. Kohut; S. Glenn

doi:10.1117/12.820989

29 April 2009 Using Webb gliders to maintain a sustained ocean presence

O. Schofield, J. Kohut, S. Glenn

Proceedings Volume 7317, Ocean Sensing and Monitoring; 731707 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820989
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Buoyancy driven Slocum gliders were a vision of Douglas Webb, which Henry Stommel championed in a vision published in 1989. Slocum gliders have transitioned from a concept to a technology serving research and environmental stewardship. The long duration and low costs of gliders allow them to anchor spatial time series. Large distances, over 600 km, can be covered using a set of alkaline batteries. Lithium batteries can anchor missions that are thousands of kilometers in length. Since the initial tests, a wide range of physical and optical sensors have been integrated into the glider allowing measurements of temperature, salinity, depth averaged currents, surface currents, fluorescence, apparent/inherent optical properties active and passive acoustics. A command/control center, entitled Dockserver, has been developed that allows users to fly fleets of gliders simultaneously in multiple places around the world via the Internet. Since October 2003, Rutgers gliders have conducted 157 missions, traversed >55,000 kilometers, logged >2600 days at sea, and logged ~350,000 vertical profiles. The capabilities of the glider make them an indispensable tool for the growing global effort to build integrated ocean observatories. For example, gliders are now a central tool within the National Science Foundation Ocean Observatory Initiative (OOI) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Gliders provide a new magnet in which to attract young people into the ocean science and engineering. For example Rutgers undergraduates now anchor long duration flights of gliders world-wide beginning their freshmen year. This is critical to training the next generation.

Citation Download Citation

O. Schofield, J. Kohut, and S. Glenn "Using Webb gliders to maintain a sustained ocean presence", Proc. SPIE 7317, Ocean Sensing and Monitoring, 731707 (29 April 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.820989

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available