The Air-Launched Autonomous Micro Observer

Jayne, S. R.; Owens, W.B.; Robbins, P.E.; Ekholm, A.K.; Bogue, N.M.; Sanabia, E.R.

doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-21-0046.1

i

The Air-Launched Autonomous Micro Observer

2022
By: Jayne, S. R. ; Owens, W.B. ; Robbins, P.E.
Source: J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 39, 491–502

Details

Journal Title:

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
Personal Author:

Jayne, S. R. ; Owens, W.B. ; Robbins, P.E. ; Ekholm, A.K. ; Bogue, N.M. ; Sanabia, E.R.
NOAA Program & Office:

CINAR (Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region)
Description:

The Air-Launched Autonomous Micro Observer (ALAMO) is a versatile profiling float that can be launched from an aircraft to make temperature and salinity observations of the upper ocean for over a year with high temporal sampling. Similar in dimensions and weight to an airborne expendable bathythermograph (AXBT), but with the same capability as Argo profiling floats, ALAMOs can be deployed from an A-sized (sonobuoy) launch tube, the stern ramp of a cargo plane, or the door of a small aircraft. Unlike an AXBT, however, the ALAMO float directly measures pressure, can incorporate additional sensors, and is capable of performing hundreds of ocean profiles compared to the single temperature profile provided by an AXBT. Upon deployment, the float parachutes to the ocean, releases the air-deployment package, and immediately begins profiling. Ocean profile data along with position and engineering information are transmitted via the Iridium satellite network, automatically processed, and then distributed by the Global Telecommunications System for use by the operational forecasting community. The ALAMO profiling mission can be modified using the two-way Iridium communications to change the profiling frequency and depth. Example observations are included to demonstrate the ALAMO’s utility.
Keywords:
Source:

J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 39, 491–502
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-21-0046.1
Format:

PDF
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA13OAR4830233 ; Grant no. NA14OAR4320158
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Submitted
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/51824/noaa_51824_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.94 MB]
Collection(s):

NOAA Cooperative Institutes
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:74451880da69455df3cbe6db622070b2ac9e2bc4c397eb4b80fdd2c1d0082ce1

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