Abstract
This paper focuses on the state of the art on Autonomous Observing Systems (AOS) used in Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) for collecting in situ atmospheric, oceanic and biogeochemical data. The designation Vessels of Opportunity includes all kinds of ships, even if not having scientific goals, which may carry proper devices that autonomously measure environmental variables. These vessels can be merchant, military, research, cruise liners, fishing, ferries, or even private yachts or sailing boats. The use of AOS can provide the opportunity for highly refined oceanographic data and improved derived data estimation, for local, regional or global scales studies. However, making the collected information accessible, both for scientific and technical purposes, provides a challenge in data management and analysis, which must, above all, ensure trusted useful data to the stakeholders. An overall review of the systems implemented is presented. This includes the definition of objectives, the recruitment of vessels and a review on the installation of proper acquisition devices; the selection and collection of Essential Oceanic Variables (EOV); the mechanisms for transmitting the information, and the quality control analysis and dissemination of data. The present and future capabilities of VOO for measuring EOV, within the Portuguese context are referred.
Highlights
Coupling the geo-referenced positions with landings or electronic fishing logbooks data, allows to follow the distribution patterns of targeted species and to estimate series of CPUE (Catches Per Unit Effort), a main indicator in fisheries management, often used as a proxy to resource abundance (e.g., [33,34,35]). Another system for obtaining information on board Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) was initially developed under the scope of the EU project HANDLING WAVES, which used on-board measurements of ship motions to derive the characteristics of the wave exciting the motion, based on different analysis methods [36,37]
The implementation of an autonomous observing system using VOO, can be a timeconsuming process. It encompasses a series of tasks involving engagement between the technical/scientific team, responsible for devices installation and collected data processing, and the stakeholders and volunteer ships willing to participate in the programme
The implementation of an observing system using VOO is a challenging, time-consuming process and requires dedicate specialized human resources. It encompasses a series of tasks involving engagement between the technical/scientific team responsible for devices installation, data processing and dissemination, and development of products for end-users and stakeholders, as well as the volunteer participation of ships in the observing programmes
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Satellite remote sensing observation programmes only return information from the surface layers of the ocean, leaving about 98.8% of the ocean volume unobservable [1] and numerical models are a main source of derived and predicted data Both of these approaches require in situ data for calibration, initialization, validation or assimilation. The main objectives of this paper are (1) to show the importance of autonomous observation systems (AOS) installed on board VOO, on the acquisition of atmospheric, oceanic and biogeochemical data for local, regional or global scales studies; and (2) to present the first phase in the development of a Portuguese AOS to be installed on fishing and cargo vessels to measure regularly in the Portuguese seas
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