2012 Wave Glider and Fetch Node Mission
On May 3rd, 2012 a collaboration among industry, government, academic and non profit organizations launched two new hi-tech tools in New England waters on the first leg of an extensive ocean observing demonstration mission. Read more...

 

 

 

The map shows location and track of the Wave Glider, named Mercury, as it travels through the Gulf of Maine.

  • Click on the red dot to see the latest data from the Wave Glider. Information from the Wave Glider will be updated on a daily basis.
  • Click on a green dot to see data from earlier location.
  • The orange dots are waypoints along the Wave Glider’s course.
  • The yellow dots represent the locations of the Fetch nodes.

To see a map of the Wave Glider’s planned route click here.  click here.

 

The map to the left shows the planned route for the Wave Glider Mercury.

  • The blue rectangle is the first part of the mission where the Wave Glider will pass near the Fetch Nodes and the University of Maine’s NERACOOS buoy’s I and E.
  • The red saw tooth line shows the planned route of the Wave Glider throughout the Gulf of Maine.

May 16, 2012
Since launching, the Wave Glider has been performing well, as it moves up and down the Maine coast.  It has successfully talked to both Sonardyne fetch nodes, and is currently headed back south to the first fetch node to do further verification testing.

May 3, 2012
The Wave glider was successfully launched today near the University of Maine's NERACOOS buoy E (South of Monhegan Island) and all systems are working well. A second Fetch node was also deployed near buoy E and is sitting in approximately 315 feet of water. The Wave glider is headed East Northeast along the Maine coast. Learn more about the wave glider.

May 2, 2012
A Fetch node was deployed on the seafloor near the University of Maine's NERACOOS buoy I (south of Mount Desert Island). The fetch node is sitting in approximately 330 feet of water and will start collecting water temperature and pressure data. Learn more about the Fetch node in the background section.

 

Wave Glider and Fetch Node Mission
An Ocean observing demonstration project

Wave Glider and Fetch node on route to their deployment site off the coast of Maine.  Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.

 Mission
On May 3rd, off the coast of Maine, a team from Liquid Robotics, Sonardyne and the University of Maine launched a Wave Glider and deployed two Fetch nodes as part of the first leg of extensive ocean observing technology demonstration project. The project is an advanced technology demonstration being performed by NERACOOS, MARACOOS and NOAA NDBC and managed by NOAA IOOS. The goal of the project is to test two new high technology ocean observing tools in the New England and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters.

 

On this mission in the Gulf of Maine, the Wave Glider will record data on wind, waves, water temperature and salinity from its own sensor suite as it travels across the Gulf. An additional sensor added by the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences will listen for fish like salmon and sturgeon that carry a special tag. The Fetch nodes will collect data on water temperature and pressure and are located on the seafloor near University of Maine’s NERACOOS buoys I and E, which are about 100 miles apart.

The Wave Glider will transit between the two Fetch nodes and once above a Fetch site it will upload sea bottom sensor data collected between transits. All data is then transmitted onwards from the Wave Glider to shore based operations using satellite radio transmission. The Wave Glider will spend 6-8 weeks in the Gulf of Maine waters and then continue south for the second leg of the mission in the Mid-Atlantic coastal waters for the MARACOOS portion of the project.

More Data at a Lower Cost
There is an increasing requirement to collect oceanographic data from a larger number of sites and for less cost than the traditional means of using: ships, moored buoys or observing systems that rely on cables that are extended from the shore. The combination of Wave Glider and Fetch nodal technologies represent a paradigm shift in ocean observing as its cost of deployment and maintenance is considerable less than the traditional systems.
Wave Glider  
The Wave Glider is a configurable ocean observing platform designed to support a wide variety of sensor payloads. Data is transmitted to shore via satellite, and the continuous surface presence means that data can be delivered as it is collected.

 

Wave Gliders are able to travel long distances (2500+ miles), hold station, and monitor vast areas without ever needing to refuel by continuously harvesting wave energy from the environment. A unique two-part architecture and wing system directly converts wave motion into thrust, and solar panels provide electricity for sensor payloads. This means that Wave Gliders can travel to a distant area, collect data, and return for maintenance without ever requiring a ship to leave port. To learn more about the Wave Glider visit Liquid Robotics.
  The Wave Glider under way off the coast of Maine. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.
Fetch Node  

Fetch node being deployed off the coast of Maine.  Photo by Fergus Gilroy.		 The Fetch is a lightweight autonomous ocean monitoring node manufactured by Houston-based Sonardyne Inc.  The Fetch node is free-fall deployed to the seabed and has sufficient battery endurance for deployments of up to five years depending on measurement type and frequency. It can be configured with an array of different sensors. Data logged by the Fetch node can be retrieved on-demand wirelessly via Sonardyne advanced high data rate acoustic modem transmitters and receivers that are located on both the Fetch Node and Wave Glider. To learn more about the Fetch node visit Sonardyne.

Multi Sector Partnership
This project is a collaboration between industry, academia and government and is being funded through the internal resources of each entity. This type of collaboration represents a highly expedient method of implementing new technologies.

 

 

Click here to go to the Videos section


The Wave Glider about to be launched off the coast of Maine. Photo by BradWhoolhiser.


A Fetch node next to an anchor prior to deployment. Photo by BradWhoolhiser.


A University of Maine NERACOOS buoy off the coast of Maine. Photo by BradWhoolhiser.


The Wave Glider underway off the coast of Maine. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.


A fetch node prior to deployment. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.


The Wave Glider prior to launch. Photo by BradWhoolhiser.


The Wave Glider about to be launched off the coast of Maine. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.


The VEMCO Mobile Transceiver, provided by the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences, attached to the Wave Glider. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.


The Wave Glider and Fetch Node prior to deployment off the coast of Maine. Photo by Brad Whoolhiser.


The Wave Glider on a ship headed to its deployment location off the coast of Maine. Photo by BradWhoolhiser.

 

 

 

  

Videos

Wave gliders for ocean research

Wave glider from under water