the TRITON buoy array

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the TRITON buoy array
TRITON

• TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network

Research Support Department Japan Agency for
Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Atsuo ITO
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Contents

• 1. About the TRITON buoy system

2. Maintenance
3. Deployment Recovery
4. Problems Countermeasures
5. Next Generation Buoy
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1. About the TRITON buoy system
The configuration of the TRITON buoy
Dimensions of surface float Diameter
2.4m Weight 2.4t Displacement 5.7tf
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(No Transcript)
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Data Display
TRITON Office Japan Agency for Marine-Earth
Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)2-15 Natsushima
Yokosuka 237-0061 JapanTel81-468-67-9872
Fax[phone]e-mailtriton_at_jamstec.go.jp

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TRITON buoy operations
JAMSTEC Cooperation with Marine Works Japan Ltd.
(MWJ)
Management
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JAMSTEC (Yokosuka)
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Operation (Deployment Recovery)
Operation (Maintenance)
Operation (Quality Check of data )
MWJ (Mutsu)
MWJ (Yokosuka)
MWJ (Mutsu)
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2. Maintenance
Total number of the TRITON buoy is 28

• All of the buoys (include sensors) are
  maintained by the Marine Technicians / MWJ at
  Mutsu Institute for Oceanography (MIO) / JAMSTEC

The CT/CTD sensors the meteorological sensors
are calibrated before/after each cruise
Buoy, tower, frame and other equipment
(shackle, chain) of mooring are also maintained
after each cruise
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• 1) Calibration of CT/CTD sensors

CT/CTD Bath (temperature conductivity)
Salinity measurement
Possible to calibrate 10 sensors at once.
Calibrated about 130 units of sensor for 1 cruise.
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• 2) Calibration systems of the meteorological
  sensors

For relative humidity sensor
For short wave radiation sensor
For testing the wind sensor (anemometer)
For atmospheric pressure sensor
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Maintenance ( post-calibration etc.)

• Deployment
• Recovery
• ( 9 buoys/cruise )

Maintenance ( pre-calibration etc.)
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3. Deployment Recovery
Start of the TRITON buoy array from March 1998

• Completed the TRITON buoy array in August 2002

Standard buoy operations by using R/V Mirai
9 TRITON buoys (9 deployment 9 recovery) at one
cruise
In case of emergency, deployment recovery
operations by using other ship
for example Chamorro (Guam, U.S.A.), Caroline
Voyager (Pohnpei, Micronesia) Bintumi Jaya
10,12 (Biak, Indonesia)
and R/V Kaiyo, R/V Yokosuka (JAMSTEC) R/V
Barnajaya I (BPPT/Indonesia) in FY2003
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Development of TRITON buoy array
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Operation by R/V Mirai
the TRITON buoy operation on the deck and the
buoy store room
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Operation by R/V Barnajaya I (BPPT/Indonesia)
Nov. 10. 2003 Nov. 20. 2003
1 TRITON buoy (1 recovery)
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4. Problems Countermeasures
Major Problems Due to human activities
1. Some case of damage Broken Stolen
meteorological sensors Bent Broken tower

• 2. Most serious case
• All items were stolen
• meteorological sensors, antenna, tower,
  electronics and butteries

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4. Problems Countermeasures
Countermeasure for trouble
1. Change the material of tower aluminum
stainless steel

2. Change the form of ARGOS antenna
whip antenna disk type

3. Use the special bolts nuts pentagon
type square pyramid type
4. Other countermeasure without
meteorological sensors without tower
without data transmission
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Damaged TRITON buoys 1998 2003
Level of damage
? 0
?
? Middle
? High
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10
14
7
11
3
8
12
4
13
9
18
5
6
17
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Tower - Countermeasure
The aluminum tower was replaced with a stainless
steel tower
The aluminum tower was broken stolen
In case of without tower use a FRP cover.
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Antenna - Problems countermeasure
Changed the form of the antenna.

• Whip antennas were broken

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But! Flat type Antennas were also stolen
Flat type antenna on cover of electronics
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Sensors and Electronics - Problems
All Sensors and Electronics were stolen
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Sensors and Electronics - Countermeasure
square pyramid type bolts nuts for cover
Special bolts and nuts were used to protect
sensors and electronics.
Both type bolts nuts for sensors
Pentagon type bolts nuts for cover
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5. Next Generation Buoy
Concepts of the Next Generation buoy - Down
Sizing (Small size Light weight) - Easy
operation - Easy to transport
Float Rubber or Urethane foam
Doughnut-shaped or Cylinder shape or Spar
shape Small Light
Tower flame Flame Stainless or Aluminum
Tower Aluminum or FRP
shackle chain One size Minimum size
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Compare
Next Generation buoy
Standard buoy
with

• Low cost
• Standard product
• Made in Japan
• - short time low cost
• Small Light
• Small ship Small deck space
• Slack type
• (reverse catenary)

• Expensive
• Made-to-order
• Foreign made
• - long time high cost
• Big Heavy
• Large ship Wide deck space
• Strain type

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Next Generation buoy 1.
Meteorological sensors wind sensor
rain gage temperature humidity
sensor short wave radiation sensor
for Indian ocean Simple of the system
Minimum Precision and function Low cost Small
size Ship - the 1,000 tons class Slack
mooring (reverse catenary)
Under water sensors temperature salinity
pressure
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Next Generation buoy 2.
Meteorological sensors wind sensor
rain gage temperature humidity
sensor short wave radiation sensor
atmospheric pressure sensor CO2
sensor

• for upgrade of the TRITON buoy system
• Higher precision and function
• New technology (Japanese sensor)
• Lower cost
• Smaller size
• Slack mooring (reverse catenary)

Under water sensors temperature salinity
pressure current meter