Sofar Drifter Deployments

A total of 11 Sofar Ocean Technologies “Spotter” drifters were deployed on this cruise (Table 1). Co-chief scientist Andreas Thurnherr and Thompson marine technicians Elizabeth Ricci and Stephen Jalickee were in charge of the deployments. Additional assistance was provided by Stephanie O’Daly and the ABs on watch. The drifters were deployed by dropping them over the side with the vessel in motion.

The following description of the drifter program has been provided by Sofar Ocean Technologies: Sofar Ocean Technologies is deploying a global free-floating metocean sensor array which develops new assimilation strategies to improve global ocean weather forecast models. The network of Sofar buoys make observations of real-time ocean conditions including surface winds, waves and currents, and transmit the data back to shore through an integrated satellite connection. Sofar is working to expand its coverage in the Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans by utilizing Ship of Opportunity partner groups, with all data from the globnal network publically available in real time through the Sofar Weather Dashboard. Data exports are also available to partner groups as part of our research grants program, either directly to deployment partners, or through our Climate Initiative. Sofar’s work is funded in part by the US Office of Naval Research, which has sponsored several research projects including an upcoming effort to directly observe hurricane activity in the Atlantic in order to improve hurricane forecasting and operational tracking systems.

Summary of the deployment details of the Sofar

ID	S/N	Date	Time	Station	Latitude	Longitude	Depth
D1	1197	03/24	0730	16	41.10N	52.33W	5120m
D2	1191	03/24	2337	18	40.07N	52.33W	5220m
D3	1181	03/25	1509	20	39.08N	52.23W	5280m
D4	1192	03/26	0645	22	37.89N	52.33W	5350m
D5	0442	03/26	0350	23	37.22N	52.34W	5370m
D6	1195	03/27	0759	25	35.88N	52.33W	4450m
D7	1190	03/27	1555	26	35.22N	52.33W	5460m
D8	1188	03/28	0624	28	34.05N	52.33W	5050m
D9	1184	03/28	2136	30	32.89N	52.33W	5560m
D10	1170	03/29	1949	33	31.14N	52.34W	5560m
D11	1193	03/31	0040	37	28.81N	52.33W	5110m