Hydrodynamics of CTD instrument packages

Abstract

This report is part of a research project conducted at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to improve the flight characteristics of CTD instrument packages. Improvement of these cable lowered instrument packages could allow their use in more severe weather conditions. It could improve the quality of the measurements. This·report presents the development of a simplified mathematical model of the CTD package flight characteristics. This computer model was exercised to perform a sensitivity analysis of different versions of CTD packages. Part of the research project includes scale model testing. The second part of the report discusses pertinent flow similarity criteria and proposes a scheme for building a CTD half scale model. Finally, recommendations to improve the hydrodynamic behaviour of the present CTD configuration are summarized at the end of the report.