IMOS - Ocean Gliders - Real-time glider deployments

The Ocean Gliders Facility (formerly known as the Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG)) deploys a fleet of eight gliders around Australia. The data represented by this record are presented in real-time. The underwater ocean glider represents a technological revolution for oceanography. Autonomous ocean gliders can be built relatively cheaply, are controlled remotely and are reusable, allowing them to make repeated subsurface ocean observations at a fraction of the cost of conventional methods. The data retrieved from the glider fleet will contribute to the study of the major boundary current systems surrounding Australia and their links to coastal ecosystems. The glider fleet consists of two types: Slocum gliders and seagliders. Slocum gliders (named for Joshua Slocum, the first solo global circumnavigator), manufactured by Webb Research Corp, are optimised for shallow coastal waters (< 200 m), where high manoeuvrability is needed. The facility has Slocum gliders for deployment on the continental shelf. Seagliders, built at the University of Washington, are designed to operate more efficiently in the open ocean up to 1000-m water depth. The facility uses their seagliders to monitor the boundary currents and continental shelves, which is valuable for gathering long-term environmental records of physical, chemical and biological data not widely measured to date. Whilst the Slocum gliders, due to their low cost and operational flexibility, will be of great use in intensive coastal monitoring, both types of gliders weigh only 52 kg, enabling them to be launched from small boats. They have a suite of sensors able to record temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll against position and depth. Sustained ocean observations will allow researchers to document the natural variability of the ocean and better understand the effect of climate change on coastal ecosystems. The IMOS gliders will focus particularly on the major boundary currents that run down the Australian coast: the Leeuwin, in the west, and the East Australian Current (EAC). The study of these currents is critical for understanding the north–south transport of freshwater, heat and biogeochemical properties. The currents exert a large influence on coastal ecosystems, shipping lanes and fisheries.海洋滑翔机设施（Ocean Gliders Facility，前身为澳大利亚国家海洋滑翔机设施（Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders，缩写ANFOG））在澳大利亚周边部署了由8台滑翔机构成的机队。本记录所呈现的数据为实时数据。 水下海洋滑翔机是海洋学领域的技术革新。自主式海洋滑翔机制造成本相对低廉、可远程操控且可重复使用，能够以仅为传统方法一小部分的成本开展多次水下海洋观测。从该滑翔机舰队获取的数据，将助力研究澳大利亚周边的主要边界流系统及其与沿岸生态系统的关联。 该滑翔机舰队包含两种机型：斯洛库姆滑翔机（Slocum gliders）与海滑翔机（seagliders）。斯洛库姆滑翔机以首位单人环球航行者约书亚·斯洛库姆（Joshua Slocum）命名，由韦伯研究公司（Webb Research Corp）制造，专为需要高机动性的浅近岸水域（水深小于200米）优化设计。该设施配备斯洛库姆滑翔机，用于大陆架海域部署。海滑翔机由华盛顿大学（University of Washington）研发，旨在水深可达1000米的开阔大洋中高效运行。该设施使用海滑翔机监测边界流与大陆架，这对于收集迄今尚未被广泛测量的物理、化学与生物数据的长期环境记录极具价值。得益于低成本与操作灵活性，斯洛库姆滑翔机在密集型沿岸监测中应用前景广阔；两款滑翔机的重量均仅为52千克，可从小型船只上发射。它们搭载了一套传感器，能够结合位置与深度记录温度、盐度、溶解氧、浊度、溶解有机物与叶绿素含量。 持续的海洋观测将帮助研究人员记录海洋的自然变异性，并更好地理解气候变化对沿岸生态系统的影响。IMOS滑翔机将特别聚焦于沿澳大利亚海岸流动的主要边界流：西部的勒温海流（Leeuwin Current）与东澳大利亚海流（East Australian Current，简称EAC）。对这些海流的研究，对于理解淡水、热量与生物地球化学属性的南北输送至关重要。这些海流对沿岸生态系统、航运航线与渔业均具有重大影响。