LEO-15 Observatory - the next generation

The cabled LEO-15 observatory was a vision of Fred Grassle and Chris von Alt that became a reality in 1996 with the deployment of Nodes A and B in 15 meters of water off of Tuckerton, New Jersey. These nodes have served the scientific community well for almost a decade providing power to a variety of sensors and bi-directional real-time communication between the sensors and the PIs computer located on shore. However, technology and scientific needs have changed since these nodes were deployed making it necessary to upgrade the nodes to meet not only today´s demands but also to provide expandability and flexibility for the future. The nodes must be able to do more than provide real-time data. They need to be a part of a sustained and interactive network of autonomous and remote platforms that coordinate sampling in space as well as in time. Rutgers University Mid-Atlantic Bight National Undersea Research Center (MABNURC) has partnered with WETSAT, Inc. to accomplish the LEO upgrade and expansion. The nodes will be expanded to include 10 guest ports for visiting scientists to plug their sensors into as well as ports for an auto-profiling unit, and two video ports (with lights and pan/tilt capability). There will also be expansion capabilities with two 10/100BASE-TX ports so that more guest ports can be added if necessary. Communications will be upgraded to TCP/IP over Gigabit Ethernet. Each science port will have regulated isolated power, at a software selectable voltage where necessary that is individually ground fault and over-current protected. Finally, the DACNet ocean observatory operating system software will be used to control the observatory. Phase 1 of the node upgrade, will be completed in the summer of 2005, and is concentrated on the refurbishment of Node A and installation of DACNet. In addition to the nodes, plans are underway to deploy an instrumented buoy and bottom mooring on the Endurance Line at the 60 in isobath to augment the Slocum Gliders that operate between LEO-15 and the shelf break.