A new Global Positioning System drifter buoy

Author

Muzzi, Ronald W. ; McCormick, Michael J.

Author_Institution

Great Lakes Environ. Res. Lab., NOAA, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

3

fYear

1994

fDate

13-16 Sep 1994

Abstract

A low cost GPS (Global Positioning System) drifter buoy platform has been developed to greatly improve Lagrangian current measurements. The GPS drifter has provided improved spatial and temporal resolution over Argos drifters and its practical, lightweight housing allows easier handling than Loran drifters. A simple differential technique was used to improve accuracy and overcome the intentional downgrading that is imposed on GPS by the use of selective availability. The drifters also feature a thermistor chain that obtains temperature profiles immediately below the surface. Eleven of these drifters were built and successfully tested in Lake Huron. The differential accuracy was determined experimentally to be on the order of 15 meters

Keywords

Global Positioning System; marine systems; oceanographic equipment; Global Positioning System drifter buoy; Lagrangian current measurements; Lake Huron; differential technique; lightweight housing; spatial resolution; temperature profiles; temporal resolution; thermistor chain; Antenna measurements; Atmospheric measurements; Batteries; Costs; Global Positioning System; Lakes; Ocean temperature; Position measurement; Satellites; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

OCEANS '94. 'Oceans Engineering for Today's Technology and Tomorrow's Preservation.' Proceedings

Conference_Location

Brest

Print_ISBN

0-7803-2056-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/OCEANS.1994.364163

Filename

364163