Expendable Autonomous Profiler

A major limitation in efforts to improve our knowledge of the ocean for either naval tactical purposes or non-defense applications is the difficulty and cost of obtaining data sets of adequate quality and coverage. While spacecraft and various expendable devices have improved our ability to gather such data, both have drawbacks. This SBIR proposes to examine the feasibility of exploiting newly developed neutrally buoyant technology to overcome some of the short comings of spacecraft and conventional expendable oceanographic devices in order bo improve the Navy's ability to collect tactically relevant data. PRB Associates and Webb Research are presently involved in a Phase II SBIH that provides some of the desired capabilities. This SBIR would extend that work and focus on developing an air-deployable instrument ^alled Expendable Autonomous Profiler (XAP) for routine tactical use. Such a device could be fitted with a variety of sensors for both defense and non defense applications.