The Autonomous Ocean Profiler: a current-driven oceanographic sensor platform

The development and initial field test results of the Autonomous Ocean Profiler (AOP) are described. The profiler uses a hydrodynamic lift device to fly the instrument package up and down the water column along a taut vertical cable. Because the local currents drive the platform´s vertical motion, power requirements are low, and therefore long, unattached deployments are possible. By using ARGOS or GOES satellite retrieval networks, the system can supply near-real-time data. The system provides profile data at very high vertical resolution in contrast to conventional buoys, which gather data only at fixed sensor depths. Because only a single set of sensors is required to cover the vertical range desired, the system is low cost and, for many applications, expendable. The initial deployment configuration is as an Arctic drifting buoy.<>