THE NEW OCEANOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT OF THE DENTRECASTEAUX

The D'ENTRECASTEAUX is SHOM's most important vessel. She began her act ive service 25 years ago, and her specific equipment has evolved in li ne with technological developments. In particular, in 1994, she was eq uipped with two systems enabling her to make oceanographic investigati ons while underway. These are an Acoustic Doppler hull-mounted Current Profiler (ADCP) by means of which current profiles over an 800-metre section can be obtained, and a towed vehicle (Sea Soar), able to oscil late between 0m and 400m depths, which can carry sensors such as a CTD probe or a fluorimeter. This article evaluates the present surveying capacity of the D'ENTRECASTEAUX, with regard to hydrography, geophysic s and oceanography and presents, in particular, her two new items of o ceanographic equipment: the ADCP and the Sea Soar.