Overview

The USF Glider Fleet

“Gliders give us the eyes and ears we need 24-7 in the ocean, at a fraction of the cost of a research vessel. They can collect valuable data to help understand ocean circulation, red tides, hurricanes, fish populations and habitats –all at the same time.”
– Chad Lembke, Research Faculty and Project Engineer

 
The USF College of Marine Science operates a fleet of gliders to help scientists:

• Refine ocean current models to better understand how the ocean moves
• Understand and predict the formulation and evolution of red tides
• Perform habitat and marine assessments
• Perform habitat and marine assessments, including fish-finding and fisheries management
• Forecast and monitor hurricanes by understanding how much fuel (heat) is in the ocean before a storm passes through an area
• Monitor water quality, including oil spill response efforts and anoxic zones (which lead to fish dead zones)