Page 26: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2013)

Instrumentation RDSEA International, Inc., St. Pete Beach, Fla., was contracted in 2011 by the National Oceanic Atmo- spheric Administration?s (NOAA), Paci c Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) to provide as- sistance and support for research in the eastern Indian Ocean on the ?Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon and Prediction Program? (RAMA) for the 2012 sea-son. PMEL, in collaboration with multinational institutions in the region, coordinated their annual research cruise from the Republic of Indonesia (Jakarta). Project partners consist of The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technol- ogy (BPPT) and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisher- ies Research (KKP). BPPT, a non-departmental government agency in Indonesia under the coordination of the Ministry of Research and Technology, is tasked with carrying out gov- ernmental duties in the  eld of assessment and application of technology and manages a full  eet of research vessels along with the buoy network of Indonesia and surrounding waters in- cluding its tsunami early warning system. BPPT?s R/V Baru- na Jaya III was responsible for all cruise logistics on the 2012 RAMA cruise. RDSEA, with experience on large basin-scaled monitoring programs dating back to early NOAA and Nation- al Science Foundation (NSF) projects in the Paci c Ocean and more recently on RAMA working with China?s State Oceanic Administration?s First Institute of Oceanography on their in- situ measurement contribution to the RAMA program, was brought onboard to assist and support project operations along with PMEL, BPPT and KKP personnel. This particular cruise was dedicated to the recovery and deployment of deep-water ATLAS (Autonomous Temperature Line Acquisition System) buoy and mooring applications along with newly designed T- Flex (Tropical-Flexible) buoy systems. T-Flex development is PMEL?s latest effort to address Legacy ATLAS capabilities with updated system integration and technologies replacing RAMA Done, PIRATA Next RDSEA FulÞ lls 2012 Contract with NOAA on ÒRAMAÓ in the Indian Ocean; ÒPIRATAÓ in the Atlantic Next for 2013 By Rick ColeRick Cole (RDSEA), Patrick Berk (PMEL) rear, center, and the BPPT, KKP Team on Baruna Jaya III, In- dian Ocean, RAMA. (Courtesy RDSEA) March 2013 26 MTRMTR #2 (18-33).indd 26MTR #2 (18-33).indd 263/5/2013 4:08:26 PM3/5/2013 4:08:26 PM