Current measurements from moored buoys

Abstract

Since January 1965,a program has been underway at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to measure currents at a limited number of fixed sites on a year round basis. Initially, one site was instrumented with both surface and subsurface moorings. The program has now been expanded to 4 major sites, extending along 70°W, from 39°20 ' N to the Hatteras Abyssal Plain at 30°N . In nearly three years of operation, a total of 65 moorings have been placed at the working sites, for periods up to six months. Recoveries from these sites have provided many velocity records of excellent quality. The repetitive exposure of moorings of essentially similar design under relatively standardized conditions has served to define clearly the design and operational problems that are inherent in such a program. A brief account is given of some of the problems encountered in routine buoy setting operations, and some of the results obtained from the measurements.