AN AUTOMATED TACTICAL OCEANOGRAPHIC MONITORING-SYSTEM

An automated prototype oceanographic monitoring system, developed by T he Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has been succe ssfully demonstrated aboard a U.S. Navy submarine during an extended o perational period. The system, consisting of commercial off-the-shelf data processing electronics and tailored oceanographic sensors, replac es time-consuming manual monitoring procedures that depend on inadequa te sensors. Results show that the system can automatically indicate in cipient changes in water-mass conditions in both open ocean and coasta l environments, thereby enabling watchstanding personnel to improve th e quality of information for tactical and ship's ballasting decisions. Automated oceanographic monitoring augments the Navy's existing capab ilities to support submarines in joint, regional warfare operations, a nd offers new opportunities for the collection of scientifically sound oceanographic data in nontraditional operating areas of the world.