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The Wave Glider: enabling a new approach to persistent ocean observation and research

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Abstract

The Wave GliderTM wave-powered unmanned maritime vehicle represents a novel and unique approach to persistent ocean presence. Wave Glider is a hybrid sea-surface and underwater vehicle in that it is comprised of a submerged “glider” attached via a tether to a surface float. The Wave Glider vehicle is propelled by the purely mechanical conversion of ocean wave energy into forward thrust, independent of wave direction. In this paper, we provide an overview of the design of this new platform and present results from the engineering sea trials conducted with several prototype and production versions of the vehicle. In addition to the Wave Glider technology, we present results from ongoing scientific demonstration programs. Results from test deployments of a conductivity–temperature–depth sensor and its applicability to oceanography are discussed. An evaluation of horizontal current profiles and current velocity estimation from a Wave Glider operating in Monterey Bay (California, USA) are presented.

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Abbreviations

PMEL:

Pacific Marine Environmental Lab

BT:

Bathythermograph

XBT:

Expendable BT

ADCP:

Acoustic Doppler current profiler

CTD:

Conductivity, temperature, and depth

MBARI:

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

WGMS:

Wave Glider Management System

NOAA:

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration

NDBC:

National Data Buoy Center

LRI:

Liquid Robotics Inc.

PCM:

Performance characterization matrix

CDIP:

Coastal Data Information Program

SVP:

Surface Velocity Program

TOGA:

Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Program

WOCE:

World Ocean Circulation Experiment program

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liquid Robotics, Inc, 1342 Moffett Park Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, 94089, USA

    Tom Daniel, Justin Manley & Neil Trenaman

Authors
  1. Tom Daniel
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  2. Justin Manley
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  3. Neil Trenaman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Justin Manley.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Pierre-Marie Poulain

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Multiparametric observation and analysis of the Sea

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Daniel, T., Manley, J. & Trenaman, N. The Wave Glider: enabling a new approach to persistent ocean observation and research. Ocean Dynamics 61, 1509–1520 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-011-0408-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-011-0408-5

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