NIOT designs profilerto record ocean data in real time

A team of scientists from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) developed wave thrust-based vertical profiler (WVP) recorded conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data in real time.

The trial was recently conducted for a week off the city coast.

“There is a similar system in the US called wire walker. But this (NIOT’s WVP) is the first of its kind in India. It is a mechanical device operated only by buoys. [deployed in sea]. When it comes down it moves at a speed of 0.35 meters per second and as it moves faster a stopper at the bottom will unlock and release it upwards,” said Balaji Ramakrishnan, Director, NIOT.

Currently, 10-12 sensors are fixed to the mooring line of the buoys and data are collected from these fixed points. When a domestic profiler is produced, the need for many sensors will disappear and more comprehensive data can be collected.

S. Muthukumaravel, Group President, NIOT Ocean Electronics Group, whose team developed WVP, said such data would be useful for monitoring extreme events such as monsoons and cyclones, as well as predicting their course and strength.

“We have buoys in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. We are conducting trials for now and will then develop prototypes to be mounted on two buoys. We also face challenges such as floating debris affecting the movement of the profiler,” he said.