Page 57: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2005)

www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 57

The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) installed 50 tilt monitors from Applied Geomechanics Inc. (AGI) of Santa Cruz, Calif. The

Model 900-45 clinometers are designed to read the orientation of seafloor water-pressure recorders for early detection of tsunamis in the open ocean. NDBC has deployed bottom pressure recorders (BPRs) paired with moored surface buoys in numerous locations worldwide. The seafloor instrument/acoustics package to which each buoy is tethered allows early identification and real-time monitoring of developing tsunamis.

This effort is the Deep Ocean

Assessment and Reporting of

Tsunamis (DART) project, a compo- nent of the U.S. National Tsunami

Hazard Mitigation Program.

Data transmitted from a BPR to its companion buoy by an acoustic link are relayed via satellite to ground sta- tions, which demodulate the signals for immediate dissemination to

NOAA's Tsunami Warning Centers and NDBC. In their standard moni- toring mode, the BPRs report 15- minute average values of sea surface height each hour. When the internal software identifies a possible tsunami event, 15-second values are transmit- ted during the first few minutes, fol- lowed by 1-minute averages. If no further events are detected, after four hours the system returns to standard mode.

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FREE INFORMATION on products is available online at www.maritimeequipment.com/mt products

AGI Clinometers Monitor Tsunami Prediction Modules Position

TRIAXYS Directional

Wave Buoy

TRIAXYS Directional Wave Buoy is a precision instrument designed to be an economical buoy for accurate measurement of directional waves.

The buoy is solar powered and easy to handle during deployment, as it can be rolled off a ship deck without con- cern of sensor damage due to spin- ning. The TRIAXYS sensor unit is comprised of three accelerometers, three rate gyros, a fluxgate compass and the proprietary TRIAXYS

Processor. Wave and sea surface tem- perature data are processed and logged on the buoy and then trans- mitted via VHF, cell or satellite telemetry to a base station hosting

AXYS' WaveView software which allows for full presentation and archiving of data along with diagnos- tic utilities.

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InterOcean Systems

Underwater Winches

InterOcean's underwater winches are designed for use in any vertical profiling application. They are avail- able separately or as part of a com- plete Vertical Profiling System (VPS).

These winches are offered in a range of sizes with a variety of capabilities, for integration within an underwater ocean observatory or as an autonomous stand-alone sys- tem. VPS winches are sized and rated for deploy- ment in coastal regions in water depths down to 300 m, or may be installed on moored subsurface buoyancy plat- forms in deep water applications.

They are fully automated and feature stainless steel construction, underwa- ter mateable connectors, pressure compensated (oil-filled) components, premium slip ring assemblies, regulat- ed power systems, and serial interface for diagnostic, control, and command functions.

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