Research
Ocean Gliders
Figure 1. An ocean glider ready to decend.
- Gliders move through the ocean both vertically and horizontally
- Provide customizable, long-duration sampling and monitoring operations
- Complex algorithms are being developed to better interpret glider data
Glider are semi-autonomous vehicles used for sampling and measuring the physical and chemical underwater environment. CMPS is collaborating with USF's Ocean Technology Group (COT) to gain high resolution data of the water properties beneath the ocean surface and down to the seafloor on West Florida's continental shelf. In partnership with GCOOS, SECOORA, and FWC-FWRI, and in collaboration with other research institutions like the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, the COT operates a fleet of underwater gliders that sample the water column continuously on missions lasting up to a month or more. The various sensors on the glider fleet help researchers understand and predict red tides and hurricanes, examine fish biomass, and aid in a variety of research questions.