DEEP SEA OCEANOGRAPHIC FLOATS

A CONTROLLED BOUYANCY SYSTEM (CBS) FOR USE WITH NEUTRALLY BOUYANT SOFAR FLOATS IS PROPOSED. THE DEVELOPMENTCOULD RESULT IN AN IMPORTANT AND TIMELY ENHANCEMENT IN OCEANOBSERVATION TECHNIQUES. A SPECIFIC PROGRAM OF DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, TESTING AND FIELDUSE IS PROPOSED, HOWEVER, A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM COULD OPEN SEVERAL OTHER POTENTIALLY PROMISING OBSERVATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. OCEAN OBSERVATION USING SOFAR FLOATS IS NOW A MATURE TECHNIQUE, AND THE ADDITION OF A CONTROLLABLE BOUYANCY SYSTEM WOULD PERMIT PROGRAMMING OF THE VERTICAL PROFILES. A SPECIFIC GOAL OF OBSERVING THE THERMAL LAYER THICKNESS AS WELL AS FLOAT MOTION IS INTENDED TO LEAD TO IMPROVED MEASUREMENTS OF POTENTIAL VORTICITY. THE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS ARE OUTLINED, A PATH TO A TECHNICAL SOLUTION, AS WELL AS A PROGRAM OF TESTING AND EXPLOITATION IS PROPOSED.