Integrated Sensor Systems for Vessels of Opportunity, National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton, UK, October 10-12,2006 : workshop proceedings
The use of self-contained, low-maintenance sensor systems installed on commercial vessels isbecoming an important monitoring and scientific tool in many regions around the world. Thesesystems integrate data from meteorological and water quality sensors with GPS data into a datastream that is automatically transferred from ship to shore. To begin linking some of this developingexpertise, the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) and the European Coastal and OceanObserving Technology (ECOOT) organized a workshop on this topic in Southampton, UnitedKingdom, October 10-12, 2006. The participants included technology users, technology developers,and shipping representatives. They collaborated to identify sensors currently employed onintegrated systems, users of this data, limitations associated with these systems, and ways to overcomethese limitations. The group also identified additional technologies that could be employedon future systems and examined whether standard architectures and data protocols for integratedsystems should be established.Participants at the workshop defined 17 different parameters currently being measured by integratedsystems. They identified that diverse user groups utilize information from these systemsfrom resource management agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to localtourism groups and educational organizations. Among the limitations identified were instrumentcompatibility and interoperability, data quality control and quality assurance, and sensor calibrationandlor maintenance frequency. Standardization of these integrated systems was viewed to beboth advantageous and disadvantageous; while participants believed that standardization could bebeneficial on many levels, they also felt that users may be hesitant to purchase a suite of instrumentsfrom a single manufacturer; and that a "plug and play" system including sensors from multiplemanufactures may be difficult to achieve.A priority recommendation and conclusion for the general integrated sensor system communitywas to provide vessel operators with real-time access to relevant data (e.g., ambient temperatureand salinity to increase efficiency of water treatment systems and meteorological data for increasedvessel safety and operating efficiency) for broader system value. Simplified data displaysare also required for education and public outreach/awareness. Other key recommendations wereto encourage the use of integrated sensor packages within observing systems such as 100s andEuroGOOS, identify additional customers of sensor system data, and publish results of previouswork in peer-reviewed journals to increase agency and scientific awareness and confidence in thetechnology.Priority recommendations and conclusions for ACT entailed highlighting the value of integratedsensor systems for vessels of opportunity through articles in the popular press, and marine science. [PDF contains 28 pages]
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| Format: | monograph biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Alliance for Coastal Technologies
2006
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| Subjects: | Engineering, Environment, ACT, ECOOT, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/20876 |
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