How can I participate in the work of the NPDBAP?
A large budget is not necessary to participate in the NPDBAP, and thereby contribute to expanding or maintaining the data network in the North Pacific Ocean. There are ways to contribute to this program and, as you will see, some of these proposals require the utilization of structures which many national meteorological services or institutes already have at their disposal.
Contribution of drifters
This is one of the capital intensive components of the NPDBAP. The type
of drifter mostly deployed by participants is the SVP-B buoy (Surface
Velocity Profiler with Barometer). Most agencies supply drifters for
deployment to other institutions, which may be more suitably located to
conduct deployments in a certain area.
Logistical support for the deployment of drifters
Advantage is not being taken of all deployment opportunities at the
present time. Frequently, research vessels, Navy vessels, and supply
vessels cross areas in the Pacific Ocean where buoy deployments are
required. The potential deployment opportunities are not known to program
participants, and are thus not utilized. Experience has shown that
many Ocean - going vessels are willing to deploy drifters at predetermined
locations along their routes. By liaising with the authorities in your
country, you are bound to hear of many deployment opportunities. For
example, research or Coast Guard vessels operating from the shores of your
country, may be willing to do drifter deployments during their voyages.
Navy vessels doing patrols are ideal for such deployments. A contribution
could also involve supplying storage space for drifters before their
shipment to staging areas or to these ships of opportunity.
The making available of ARGOS PTT-years for the relay of
data from buoys
Some agencies might be willing to supply the drifter at no cost if the
cost of data is paid by an interested participant. Obviously, the data
need to be made available on the GTS for the benefit of all participants.
This drifter could then provide data from an area that is of more specific
importance to your institution.
Quality control services
By checking the quality of data being transmitted by buoys onto the
GTS and notifying the Buoy QC bulletin board, you would help ensure that
poor quality data is rapidly removed from the GTS. Poor quality data can
be worse than no data.
Page last modified: October 23, 2008