Marine Platforms and sensors
SWERVE will focus initial efforts for sensor harmonisation, technical expertise and data delivery on 4 key platforms. These platforms not only represent the major ones used by each of the SWERVE vessels, but have well developed international standards for data quality and clear international imperative, as defined through the Global Ocean Observing System Essential Ocean Variables.
CTD Profiler
A CTD (Fig 3a,c) profiler is a vital instrument for all oceanographic disciplines, providing high[an1] accuracy data on how salinity, temperature and other variables (e.g. oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity – depending on sensor package) vary with depth (up to 6000m). These variables provide information on the water column, such as density, stratification, when and where the water mass was last in contact with the atmosphere or ice, large-scale transport, and mixing between water masses. When combined with chemical and biological parameters much more information can be obtained, such as biological production in the water mass, spreading of pollutants etc. CTDs are usually accompanied by a rosette sampler that provides discrete water samples from predetermined depths for later analysis (such as biological production, pollutants, and chemical dynamics in the marine system).
Ferrybox
A Ferrybox (Fig. 3b) is a flow-through system installed on a ship that continuously and autonomously can measure physical (e.g. Temperature, salinity, turbidity), chemical (e.g. nutrients, pH, pCO2, O2) and biological parameters (e.g. Chlorophyll, phytoplankton composition) as the ship is moving (depending on the sensors installed). The ferrybox measurements give important, high-resolution data widely used, for example, for satellite validation, modelling and mapping of surface accumulation of algae. Ferrybox systems have been installed on European research vessels and ships-of-opportunity (i.e. Ferries, cargo ships) since 2002 through the EuroGOOS network and the European network is coordinated through the Ferrybox Task Team under the EuroGOOS umbrella. Although 5 of the 6 SWERVE vessels have ferryboxes installed, RV Svea (through SMHI) is currently the only vessel delivering Ferrybox data in real time to Copernicus Marine Services (https://marine.copernicus.eu/).
Weather Stations
Marine weather stations are essential for the collection of climate-relevant data for use in marine research and for services such as accurate climate predictions and weather forecasts. Stations feature advanced weather sensors for wind speed/direction, Precipitation, Pressure, Radiation (shortwave) and Water vapour (near surface).
Moving vessel profilers (MVP)
Moving Vessel Profilers (MVPs; Fig 3f,g) are more recently developed platforms for automated data collection. Towed behind a vessel, MVPs collect EOV data while the vessel is moving by taking profiles of the ocean through depth. The MVP therefore provides the depth profile of a CTD, but the temporal/spatial profile of a ferrybox.
Equipment list
ADCP
AUV Launch and Recovery system
Beam Sonar
Box corer
Cold container laboratory
CTD
Echo sounder
Ferrybox
Gemini corer
GI-Gun
GMAX corer
Gravity corer Gyro/Motion reference
Multibeam
Multi-channel streamer
Multicorers
Multinet
Plankton net
RIB Boat
RTK
Sediment Scraper
Sonar
Sub-bottom profiler
SVS (Sound velocity sensor)
Underwater Camera
USBL Positioning
Van Veen
Weather station