Ice-Ocean Environmental Buoys (IOEB); Technology and Deployment in 1991- 1992

Based upon the 1987-88 Arctic Environmental Drifting Buoy AEDB, the Ice-Ocean Environmental Buoy IOEB was developed to acquire and telemeter in near real-time inter-relatable time-series data on atmospheric, oceanographic and ice physics in ice-covered oceans during all seasons. Two IOEBs were successfully deployed in two Arctic Sea Basin Stations in April, 1992. Since then, although some sensors malfunctioned, for 18 continuous months, they have been sending massive amounts of information. In this report we describe the technology which was developed for the 1991 IOEB. Mechanically, the IOEB consists of an extremely durable surface flotation package and an underwater mooring line of instruments and sensors. The apex contains data loggers for air, ice and engineering measurements, microcontroller modules for accumulating the data from all the instruments, and ARGOS platform transmit terminals PTTS for broadcasting the data. Extending above the surface float, a mast supports a wind monitor and air temperature probe, which along with a barometer provides meteorological data. Thermistor strings, vibrating wire stress sensors, and a thickness gauge are installed in the ice surrounding the buoy, and are interrogated by the modules inside the apex. In the ocean, 110 m of conducting strength cable passes the data from conductivitytemperature recorders, an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and data compression module, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a transmissometer and fluorometers to the PTT microcontrollers. Furthermore, a suspended particle collector and sediment trap transmit status information along the two-wire multidrop network cable.