Glider Surveys of Japan/East Sea Circulation

• Main Author: Eriksen, Charles C
• Other Authors: WASHINGTON UNIV SEATTLE SCHOOL OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: Physical Chemistry; Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Submarine Engineering; Thermodynamics; *GEOSTROPHIC CURRENTS; *HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYING; *JAPAN SEA; *SALINITY; *SAMPLING; *TEMPERATURE; *TRANSPORT; *UNDERWATER VEHICLES; FRONTS(OCEANOGRAPHY); MEASUREMENT; REAL TIME; SEASONAL VARIATIONS; SUBARCTIC REGIONS; WATER MASSES; *AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLES; AUV(AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLES); *TEMPERATURE PROFILES; *SALINITY PROFILES; SUBPOLAR FRONT; *GEOSTROPHIC TRANSPORT; OCEANOGRAPHIC SAMPLING; Subarctic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA551753; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA551753

The long-term goal of this project is to observe and understand the circulation of the Japan/East Sea in the vicinity of the subpolar front. The specific objective of this project is to collect temperature and salinity profiles using a small fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles now under development. The Japan/East Sea surveys will be the first dedicated scientific use of this technology. These profiles, collected both at fixed geographic locations and along transects, will be used to estimate geostrophic transport of the subpolar frontal region and to describe water mass transformation processes. Observations are intended to be continuous over a complete annual cycle. Our approach is to field a small network of comparatively inexpensive autonomous vehicles that can collect temperature and salinity profiles continuously from the upper km of the ocean while either maintaining their geographic positions or surveying along a desired track. This network is to report measurements in near real-time and be controllable from shore. These vehicles are to be launched from a small boat near shore in South Korea, carry out a multimonth survey, and be recovered similarly in Japanese waters. The expected impact of the successful use of gliders in the Japan/East Sea is that it will demonstrate how hydrographic profile surveys can be made at much lower cost than is now possible using moorings or ships. The ocean can then be sampled much more densely and over longer duration than is conventionally practical. The expected cost of 1 m resolution joint temperature/salinity profiles from the surface to 1 km depth at an arbitrary location, reported in near real-time, is under $20. This project is in its first year of support. The principal tasks have been planning activities. See also ADM002252.