Abstract
At 2000 m depth in the oceans, one can hear biological, seismological, meteorological, and anthropogenic activity. Acoustic monitoring of the oceans at a global scale and over long periods of time could bring important information for various sciences. The Argo project monitors the physical properties of the oceans with autonomous floats, some of which are also equipped with a hydrophone. These have a limited transmission bandwidth requiring acoustic data to be processed on board. However, developing signal processing algorithms for these instruments requires one to be an expert in embedded software. To reduce the need of such expertise, we have developed a programming language, called MeLa. The language hides several aspects of embedded software with specialized programming concepts. It uses models to compute energy consumption, processor usage, and data transmission costs early during the development of applications; this helps to choose a strategy of data processing that has a minimum impact on performances. Simulations on a computer allow for verifying the performance of the algorithms before their deployment on the instrument. We have implemented a seismic P wave detection and a blue whales D call detection algorithm with the MeLa language to show its capabilities. These are the first efforts toward multidisciplinary monitoring of the oceans, which can extend beyond acoustic applications.
Highlights
Scientists all over the globe are permanently monitoring how our planet is changing
We have developed a programming language dedicated to the Mermaid
We have developed a programming language, called MeLa, dedicated to the Mermaid instrument, a multidisciplinary float that can monitor the oceanic environment with multiple sensors
Summary
Scientists all over the globe are permanently monitoring how our planet is changing. Knowing how much heat is stored in the ocean, how fast the sea levels are rising, and sea ice is melting, where living ecosystems are migrating in response to anthropic activity, are only a very few of the many essential questions to understanding the current state and changes in the ocean and climate.This information is critical for assessing and confronting oceanic and atmospheric changes that are associated with global warming and they can be used by decision-makers, environmental agencies, the general public, and in measuring our responses to environmental directives.Oceans have been monitored since the 19th century [1]. Knowing how much heat is stored in the ocean, how fast the sea levels are rising, and sea ice is melting, where living ecosystems are migrating in response to anthropic activity, are only a very few of the many essential questions to understanding the current state and changes in the ocean and climate. This information is critical for assessing and confronting oceanic and atmospheric changes that are associated with global warming and they can be used by decision-makers, environmental agencies, the general public, and in measuring our responses to environmental directives. When electronics and batteries were emerging, Sensors 2020, 20, 6081; doi:10.3390/s20216081 www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors
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