Ocean systems test and evaluation program

Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (U.S.)

"The Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) is a program of the National Ocean Service's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (NOS/CO-OPS). PORTS® provides real-time marine environmental information to support safe and efficient maritime commerce and informed coastal resource management. In response to user requests for water current information near navigation channels, CO-OPS entered into a partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to place current measurement systems on existing USCG aids-to-navigation (ATON) buoys. This document describes measurement and communication technologies employed, the design considerations which ensure that the PORTS® payload does not interfere with the primary mission of the buoys, the system test and evaluation undertaken, the field procedures for installation, repair and maintenance of the systems, the data flow configuration, data quality control procedures, and finally, the products generated and disseminated to the public from these current measurement systems"--Executive Summary.

Technical Report