Satellite Relayed In Situ Ocean Observations

Position location and data relay from unmanned ocean data platforms have come into being in the last several years by the use of satellite data relay systems. This use has arisen from the inability of conventional shipboard oceanographic observations to sample on more than a fraction of physical time and space scales of the ocean. To date, most of the satellite relayed data have been from a few highly instrumented moored platforms such as NDBO ocean weather buoys, or position information from simple surface drifters for ocean current mapping. More sophisticated drifters are planned which will take data further down into the water column. These data will be used for ocean science, weather, commercial, and naval applications. NASA will will use them for verification and calibration of its own satellite observation systems. Technology improvements will be required in platform, sensor, data handling, and satellite design.