The McLane moored profiler: an autonomous platform for oceanographic measurements

The McLane Moored Profiler (MMP) is an autonomous profiling instrument platform developed through a collaboration between the McLane Research Laboratories, Inc. (MRL) and the Advanced Engineering Laboratory and the Department of Physical Oceanography of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The authors´ goal is to make moored profiler technology both available and useful to a broad cross-section of the oceanographic community. The platform and software are designed for ease of operation and maintenance. The baseline instrument suite includes both a CTD and an acoustic current meter. Provisions have been made in the design for a variety of additional instruments, including commonly available bio-optical and chemical sensors. The engineering development is largely complete, and the first commercial units have been delivered. Laboratory, dockside, and open ocean tests are ongoing