Innovations for Scalable Oceanography

An approach to scalable surface-drifting buoys is needed to enable the high spatial and temporal resolution of oceanographic data that the science and meteoro- logical communities are asking for. With the number of active buoys predicted to increase by a factor of 100 or more, the impact on the environment becomes even more important. I will present a pathway toward a scalable and sustainable generation of buoys, and identify the main criteria to be used when developing such buoys to be low cost, with reliable data and neutral or even positive environmental impact. Each buoy subsystem—hull, electronics, energy generation and storage, sensors, and communication system—is assessed and potential technological solutions are presented, many of them from emerging research in other disciplines. 

I will conclude with a glimpse at current work I am involved in toward the goal of scalable oceanography as a way to provide meaningful data for decision making.