Inexpensive Airborne Expandable Ice Buoys (AXIB) Suitable for Marginal Ice Zone Deployment

The proposed solution provides a low-cost practical air-droppable package for existing polar ice meteorological sensor systems. The buoy package will be configured for deployment from a fixed wing aircraft. Descent is stabilized and slowed by a parachute deployed after launch, and designed for a descent rate of 20 ft/s or less. When deployed on the ice, the buoy will erect to the vertical for operation. The erection and anchoring system consists of four erector legs and an anchoring screw. An integrated commercially available sensor and communication package utilizing a commercial Argos platform transmitter terminal will interface with a GPS receiver, barometric pressure, air temperature and an ice/water thermistor using NMEA standard interfaces. The PPT will provide hourly data transmission through the Argos satellite network. LBI, Inc. provides complete development and production capabilities thereby ensuring a least-cost solution.