Powering cabled ocean-bottom observatories

A critical and potentially difficult problem for ocean-bottom observatories is the electrical power sub-system. While huge effort and expense has gone into development of land power grids and ocean communication cable power, the characteristics of ocean-bottom observatories require different strategies. Ocean-bottom observatories terminate on the ocean floor where large variable loads are installed, whereas commercial ocean-bottom cables terminate on land and normally have relatively fixed loads. Design considerations such as whether to use a constant current or constant voltage source, choice of voltage and current levels and cable capacitance and impedance are considered. Ocean-bottom observatory science requirements in the future will demand multiple loads along the cable, cable branches, fault protection and redundancy. The realities of high cable capacitance and the negative dynamic impedance of switching power supplies require that rapid load changes either be anticipated or prevented. Without proper control, rapid changes in load can result in instability and collapse of the power system. The strategy suggested in this paper requires that each load point (or junction box where science experiments will be attached to the system) be "smart" enough to keep load variations within tolerance bounds     

Multidisciplinary geophysical measurements on the ocean floor usingdecommissioned submarine cables: VENUS project

To perform geophysical and multidisciplinary real-time measurements on the ocean floor, it has been attempted to reuse decommissioned submarine cables. The VENUS project reuses the TPC-2, which is one of these systems and runs across the entire Philippine Sea Plate between Guam Island and Okinawa Island. The VENUS system comprises an ocean floor observatory, a submarine cable, and a land system. The major components of the ocean floor observatory are geophysical instruments and a telemetry system. There are seven scientific instrument units including broadband seismometers and a hydrophone array. Digital telemetry using the old analog telephone cable obtains high data accuracy and real-time accessibility to data from a laboratory on land. The bottom-telemetry system and a part of sensor units were installed at a depth of 2157 m on the landward slope of the Ryukyu (Nansei-Syoto) Trench on August 29, 1999. The data from the hydrophone array and tsunami gauge have been correctly transmitted to the data center. The rest of the scientific instruments will be deployed by deep-tow equipment and a remotely operated vehicle. Using a decommissioned submarine cable will greatly reduce construction costs compared to using a new cable system     

Real-time geophysical measurements on the deep seafloor usingsubmarine cable in the southern Kurile subduction zone

A permanent real-time geophysical observatory using a submarine cable was developed and deployed to monitor seismicity, tsunamis, and other geophysical phenomena in the southern Kurile subduction zone. The geophysical observatory comprises six bottom sensor units, two branching units, a main electro-optical cable with a length of 240 km and two land stations. The bottom sensor units are: 1) three ocean bottom broadband seismometers with hydrophone; 2) two pressure gauges (PGs); 3) a cable end station with environmental measurement sensors. Real-time data from all the undersea sensors are transmitted through the main electro-optical cable to the land station. The geophysical observatory was installed on the continental slope of the southern Kurile trench, southeast Hokkaido, Japan in July 1999. Examples of observed data are presented. Sensor noises and resolution are mentioned for the ocean bottom broadband seismometers and the PGs, respectively. An adaptable observation system including very broadband seismometers is scheduled to be connected to the branching unit in late 2001. The real-time geophysical observatory is expected to greatly advance the understanding of geophysical phenomena in the southern Kurile subduction zone     

基于双冗余以太网通信的气象实时观测数据采集网络传输系统的设计与实现

随着以太网技术应用的日趋成熟,在海洋和大气观测领域,人们希望对传统不具备网络通讯能力的观测仪器进行智能化和网络节点化改造。设计和实现了一套气象实时观测数据采集与网络传输系统。该系统采用基于ARM的嵌入式系统集成设计方案,实现了对外部传感器实时观测数据的采集和以太网通信。作为多级网络系统中的一个网络节点,该采集传输系统采用双冗余以太网通信接口设计,使系统中的双路以太网在一路局部故障或线路受损时可以自动冗余切换。这一设计特点大幅提高了作为网络节点的数据采集传输系统在与外部其他设备通信时数据传输的可靠性。通过在以太网条件下,网络闭环控制运行试验等测试,证明所开发的气象实时观测数据采集网络传输系统运行稳定可靠,双冗余以太网接口切换正常,数据采集传输及时准确,可完全满足实际应用的需要。     

The Hawaii-2 Observatory

A permanent deep ocean scientific research facility-the Hawaii-2 Observatory (H2O)-was installed on the retired HAW-2 commercial submarine telephone cable in September 1998. H2O consists of a seafloor submarine cable termination and junction box in 5000 m of water located halfway between Hawaii and California. The H2O infrastructure was installed from a large research vessel using the Jason ROV and standard over-the-side gear. The junction box provides two-way digital communication at variable data rates of up to 80 kbit/s using the RS-422 protocol and a total of 400 W of power for both junction box systems and user equipment. Instruments may be connected by an ROV to the junction box at 8 wet-mateable connectors. The H2O junction box is a "smart" design, which incorporates redundancy to protect against failure and allows full control of instrument functionality from shore. Initial instrumentation at the H2O site includes broad-band seismometer and hydrophone packages     

A new approach for mobile and expandable real-time deep seafloorobservation - adaptable observation system

Although submarine cable in-line seafloor observation systems are very effective tools for real-time/long-term geo-scientific measurements,, there are technological difficulties for deploying as many sensors as on land. To solve this problem, JAM-STEC developed an expandable and replaceable satellite measurement station called the adaptable observation system (AOS). The AOS is a battery operated mobile observatory connected to the backbone cable system by a 10 km long thin fiber cable to ensure real-time data recovery. The system consists of a branching system, a junction box, a fiber cable, and a battery system for a six-month operation. Installation and construction of the AOS will be conducted by a towed vehicle and an ROV. A thin fiber cable-laying system was developed and tested for practical operation. This observation system provides a chance to extend existing seafloor networks from an in-line area to a wider area     

Improvement of earthquake locations with the Marine Cable Hosted Observatory (MACHO) offshore NE Taiwan

In order to improve the locating capability for offshore earthquakes and tsunamis monitored off northeastern Taiwan, a cable-based ocean bottom seismographic observatory named “Marine Cable Hosted Observatory” (MACHO) was constructed and began operation at the end of 2011. The installed instruments of the observatory include a broadband seismometer, a strong-motion seismometer and a pressure gauge. In addition, various scientific instruments could be deployed for other purposes as well. At present, the seismic data are transmitted in real-time via a fiber cable, and integrated into the current inland seismographic network in Taiwan. The ocean bottom station has contributed to provide high quality seismic data already. According to observations from January 2012 to June 2013, there were a total of 15,168 earthquakes recorded by the system. By using the data from the ocean bottom station, the number of relocated earthquakes with an azimuth gap less than 180 degrees substantially increase about 34 %. Meanwhile, the root–mean–square of the time residual, the error in epicenter, and the error in depth of the earthquake locations decrease. Therefore, the implementation of MACHO has the advantage of extending the coverage of existing the Taiwan seismic network to the offshore, providing more accurate and real-time seismic data for offshore earthquakes monitoring. The results show that MACHO is crucial and necessary for monitoring seismic activities in northeastern Taiwan.     

海底设施的电力供应及其对潜水员水下作业安全的影响

海底结构设施的电力供应是海洋工程的一个重要方面。本文通过对海底阴极保护系统、水下油气生产装置，以及大功率海底电缆的电气特征分析，探讨了这些海底用电结构对潜水员水下作业安全的影响及其防电击基本对策，以供制定有关“潜水员水下用电安全”技术标准规范及操作规程时参考和借鉴     

A network-based telemetry architecture developed for the Martha'sVineyard Coastal Observatory

Underwater observatories with real-time data and virtually unlimited power transmission capabilities compared to traditional oceanographic moorings are beginning to provide scientists with continuous access to the coastal and open ocean. However, for any coastal observatory to serve as a cost-effective system for the collection of long-term scientific and environmental data, it must have a simple, upgradeable power and telemetry system and an instrument interface that is compatible with existing standards. It must be designed for extended environmental exposure and ease of service to avoid high maintenance costs. Most importantly, the observatory must be accessible to all potential users, including students, scientists, engineers, and policy makers. This strategy was applied to the design of the Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory on the south shore of the island of Martha's Vineyard. The new facility, and in particular its system architecture, as developed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with support from the National Science Foundation, are described     

基于北斗短报文的海洋观测实时通信系统的设计与研发

北斗一代和北斗二代短报文每次通信数据长度只有78个字节，每次通信后间隔60秒或者300秒才能进行下一次通信，远远满足不了海洋观测实时通信的需求。设计了一套基于北斗短报文的海洋观测实时通信系统，北斗多卡机作为数据发送端，采用哈夫曼压缩算法将观测数据压缩后分成多个数据包，通过多个北斗卡分别发送，岸站接收系统接收到分包的数据后，将接收的数据包解压缩并整合成完整的观测数据。哈夫曼压缩算法将观测数据压缩50%左右，将1组观测数据压缩后发送3次，通过岸上3个月和海上1个月的测试，观测数据接收成功率达到了96%以上，验证了基于北斗短报文的海洋观测实时通信系统的可行性和实用性。     

Review of challenges in reliable electric power delivery to remote deep water enhanced oil recovery systems

This paper reviews the major challenges involved in reliable electric power delivery to remote deep water enhanced oil recovery (EOR) systems. As the oil well matures, top side based booster systems are not economical, and hence, subsea based booster systems are required. Such EOR processes require subsea systems to be operated at varying power and voltage levels, and this requires establishing subsea power stations with long tiebacks from the shore. Subsea stations carry out safe voltage step-down, distribution and conversion of electrical power in the order of mega watts. Breakdowns in subsea based EOR systems lead to huge production losses, and system retrieval for repair and maintenance is very costly and time consuming, and therefore systems need to be highly reliable. This paper describes the technical challenges involved in subsea variable speed motor drives, long step out power transmission, subsea energy storage requirements for safe start up and emergency shutdown, thermal and humidity management inside pressure rated enclosures, fault localization, pressure tolerant electronics and bio-fouling. Emerging advancements in electrical, power electronic, power transmission, energy storage and packaging technologies are reviewed, giving the confidence that the present technical maturity would be able to drive the development of reliable subsea based EOR systems.     

Compression limit state of HVAC submarine cables

An industry accepted standard does not currently exist for determination of compression limits in a subsea cable. This has resulted in most manufacturers specifying that subsea cables are not permitted to be axially loaded in compression.Additionally industry guidance does not exist regarding the consequences of inducing compression forces within subsea cables and the resulting effect on cable integrity. Industry recommended practice and guidance also does not have any information regarding experimental test arrangements to determine allowable compression levels within a subsea cable. This lack of modelling/testing guidance along with manufacturer recommendations of zero compressive loads within subsea cables results in overly conservative and restrictive design parameters for subsea cable installation and use.Due to the complex interaction within a subsea cable structure, such as contact interaction and friction between cable strands, theoretical modelling has been unable to provide reliable stress predictions and therefore an experimental testing regime is required if compression limits within the cable are to be appropriately determined. This paper describes combined axial and bending test arrangements that can be used as a guideline for determination of allowable compression limits for subsea cables.     

一种基于波浪能的海洋立体观测系统及应用

随着海洋波浪能发电技术的发展和成熟,其在海洋观测领域的应用受到关注和研究。自主设计并研制了一种集波浪能发电、海表/海底同步观测、实时4G 通信传输、远程无线控制于一体的海洋立体观测系统,于2021 年7 月在珠江口万山岛海域通过锚泊系留方式布放,开展海上波浪能供电和观测应用试验。海试期间连续获取了海底原位观测视频数据,以及海表波浪变化和波浪能发电参数等监测数据,并对波浪能发电电流、电压和功率进行了统计分析,讨论了波浪能发电水平受波浪变化的影响,分析了两者之间的相关性。试验结果表明：利用波浪能供电的海洋观测系统具备连续、长周期、全天候观测的优势和潜力,源源不断的波浪能可保障海洋观测系统的稳定观测和数据可靠传输,实现了海洋观测系统长期独立运行所需的绿色高效供能,验证了波浪能在海洋观测领域应用的可行性和先进性。     

基于声学调制解调器的声速剖面遥测技术

声速是海洋声呐测量中最重要的声学参数之一。拖缆式声速剖面仪可提供实时测量功能,但其缆长不能满足深海测量要求;自容式声速剖面仪可满足深海测量要求,但工作效率低。如何提高野外深海声速剖面测量工作效率是深海调查一项非常有意义的工作。文中详细介绍了基于声学调制解调器的声速剖面遥测系统的主要结构和功能,揭示了水声通信技术在深海非铠装缆测量中的应用优势。     

Societal need for improved understanding of climate change, anthropogenic impacts, and geo-hazard warning drive development of ocean observatories in European Seas

Society’s needs for a network of in situ ocean observing systems cross many areas of earth and marine science. Here we review the science themes that benefit from data supplied from ocean observatories. Understanding from existing studies is fragmented to the extent that it lacks the coherent long-term monitoring needed to address questions at the scales essential to understand climate change and improve geo-hazard early warning. Data sets from the deep sea are particularly rare with long-term data available from only a few locations worldwide. These science areas have impacts on societal health and well-being and our awareness of ocean function in a shifting climate.Substantial efforts are underway to realise a network of open-ocean observatories around European Seas that will operate over multiple decades. Some systems are already collecting high-resolution data from surface, water column, seafloor, and sub-seafloor sensors linked to shore by satellite or cable connection in real or near-real time, along with samples and other data collected in a delayed mode. We expect that such observatories will contribute to answering major ocean science questions including: How can monitoring of factors such as seismic activity, pore fluid chemistry and pressure, and gas hydrate stability improve seismic, slope failure, and tsunami warning? What aspects of physical oceanography, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystems will be most sensitive to climatic and anthropogenic change? What are natural versus anthropogenic changes? Most fundamentally, how are marine processes that occur at differing scales related?The development of ocean observatories provides a substantial opportunity for ocean science to evolve in Europe. Here we also describe some basic attributes of network design. Observatory networks provide the means to coordinate and integrate the collection of standardised data capable of bridging measurement scales across a dispersed area in European Seas adding needed certainty to estimates of future oceanic conditions. Observatory data can be analysed along with other data such as those from satellites, drifting floats, autonomous underwater vehicles, model analysis, and the known distribution and abundances of marine fauna in order to address some of the questions posed above. Standardised methods for information management are also becoming established to ensure better accessibility and traceability of these data sets and ultimately to increase their use for societal benefit. The connection of ocean observatory effort into larger frameworks including the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and the Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES) is integral to its success. It is in a greater integrated framework that the full potential of the component systems will be realised.     

New Scientific Underwater Cable System Tokai-SCANNER for Underwater Geophysical Monitoring Utilizing a Decommissioned Optical Underwater Telecommunication Cable

We have developed a new cost-effective scientific underwater cable system named Tokai Submarine Cabled Network Observatory for Nowcast of Earthquake Recurrences (Tokai-SCANNER) using a decommissioned optical underwater telecommunication cable. We have used this cable in two ways simultaneously: 1) to construct an ocean-bottom observatory at the end of the cable, and 2) to use the cable as a long emitting antenna to sense electromagnetic properties of the Earth's crust. We have also developed a new time-synchronization system that sends a one-pulse-per-second (1PPS) signal and NMEA data to underwater sensors. To vary the supply voltage and current to the observatory and to emit a low-frequency electromagnetic field around the underwater cable, we have also developed an underwater power unit that has a wide input voltage and current range. Tokai-SCANNER has been functioning since April 2007.      

North east pacific time-integrated undersea networked experiments (NEPTUNE): cable switching and protection

The objective of the North East Pacific Time-Integrated Undersea Networked Experiments (NEPTUNE) is to establish a permanent, subsea observatory surrounding the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate. To achieve this objective, a special power distribution system is designed to provide continuous power to science equipment, vehicles, and laboratories located as deep as 5 km below the water surface. The NEPTUNE power system is significantly different from terrestrial power systems in many aspects and it requires different switching, protection, and control strategies. In this paper, we address the design of system switching and fault isolation equipment.     

浙江省海洋水质监测浮标设计与实现

作为一种高技术监测手段,海洋浮标可实现现场自动监测而不受恶劣海况的影响,近年来得到了广泛的重视和快速发展。文中介绍了浙江近岸海域海洋水质监测浮标的结构设计和自动监测实现。浮标设计为生态浮标、海滨浮标和专项浮标3种类型,由浮体、标架、供电设备、防护设备、锚系、传感器、数据采集传输、电子/电池舱、岸站接收系统等9个部分组成。浮体设计为圆饼形,浮体下方正中安装稳定锤以保证具备足够的稳定性。供电设备由太阳能电池板、大容量蓄电池组成,可保障海上30 d连续阴雨天气、恶劣海况下的不间断供电。浮标经喷防污漆、牺牲阳极保护、裹铜皮、加过滤网和人工清除等5种方法防腐、防污处理后投放入海,采用常规维护、应急维护和年度维护等3种方式保障浮标系统运行稳定。投放后可实现对标浮所在海域水质、气象、生态等参数的连续、实时、自动监测。最后对浮体直径设计和浮标投放点选址提出了建议和要求。该设计可为其它类似区域的水质监控提供良好的参考。     

The Long-term Ecosystem Observatory: an integrated coastalobservatory

An integrated ocean observatory has been developed and operated in the coastal waters off the central coast of New Jersey, USA. One major goal for the Long-term Ecosystem Observatory (LEO) is to develop a real-time capability for rapid environmental assessment and physical/biological forecasting in coastal waters. To this end, observational data are collected from satellites, aircrafts, ships, fixed/relocatable moorings and autonomous underwater vehicles. The majority of the data are available in real-time allowing for adaptive sampling of episodic events and are assimilated into ocean forecast models. In this observationally rich environment, model forecast errors are dominated by uncertainties in the model physics or future boundary conditions rather than initial conditions. Therefore, ensemble forecasts with differing model parameterizations provide a unique opportunity for model refinement and validation. The system has been operated during three annual coastal predictive skill experiments from 1998 through 2000. To illustrate the capabilities of the system, case studies on coastal upwelling and small-scale biological slicks are discussed. This observatory is one part of the expanding network of ocean observatories that will form the basis of a national observation network