Low-cost ocean monitoring systems are increasingly needed to address data gaps in coastal environments, particularly in regions where traditional research infrastructure is limited. This paper presents the design, development, and field deployment of a biophysical ocean buoy (BOB)—a compact, solar-powered autonomous buoy system capable of measuring sea surface temperature, salinity (via electrical conductivity), total dissolved solids, pH, and GPS position. The system features real-time data transmission via the Iridium satellite, local data logging, and modular sensor integration. The BOB was deployed for three missions in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, ranging from 26–56 h in duration. The system successfully recorded high-resolution environmental data, revealing coastal gradients, diurnal heating cycles, and tidal current reversals. Over 95% of the measurements were successfully recovered, and the Iridium communications exceeded 90% reliability. The temperature and salinity data captured fine-scale variations consistent with freshwater plume interactions and tidal forcing. With a total system cost under USD 2000 and minimal deployment requirements, the BOB offers a scalable solution for distributed ocean monitoring. Its performance suggests strong potential for use in aquaculture monitoring, coastal hazard detection, and climate change research, especially in data-sparse regions. This work contributes to the growing field of democratized ocean observation, combining affordability with operational reliability.

In tsunami studies, understanding the intricate dynamics in the swash area, characterised by the shoaling effect, remains a challenge. In this study, we employed the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) method to model tsunami inundation and propagation in the Onagawa town physical flume experiment. Using the open-source flow solver Basilisk, we implemented the Saint-Venant (SV) equations, Serre–Green–Naghdi (SGN) equations, and a nonhydrostatic multilayer (ML) extension of the SGN equations. A hydraulic bore tsunami-like wave was used as the input boundary condition. The objective was to assess the efficiency of the AMR method with nonhydrostatic tsunami models in overcoming limitations in 2D and quasi-3D models in flume experiments, particularly with respect to improving accuracy in arrival time and run-up detection. The results indicate improved performance of the SGN and SV models in determining tsunami arrival times. The ML model demonstrated enhanced wave run-up simulations on complex built-in terrain. The refined roughness coefficient determined using the ML solver captured the arrival time well in the northern section of the Onagawa model, albeit with a 1 s delay. The AMR method offered a computationally stable solution with an 86.3% reduction in computational time compared to a constant grid. While effective, the nonhydrostatic models entail the use of a great deal of computational resources.

The great Japan earthquake on March/11/2011provoked an extreme tsunami wave toward the northeastern Japanese coast. The tsunami inundation covered a wide range of territories stretching over 500 km2 and caused devastating influences that claimed more than 15,000 lives (Mori et al. (2011)). Miyagi Prefecture, the closest mainland to the epicentre, received massive tsunami waves that reached over 40 m in run-up height. Prasetyo et al. (2019) aimed to reproduce the tsunami wave inundation in Onagawa Town of Miyagi Prefecture by building a physical model using Hybrid Tsunami Open Flume in Ujigawa Open Laboratory (HyTOFU) at Kyoto University to study the inundation process by measuring the wave height and arrival time. For that purpose, two wave types were used, the (Pump-type) hydraulic bore, and the (Piston-type) solitary wave. Also, 2D and quasi-3D (Q3D) models were tested for their robustness and applied to emulate tsunami propagation in the complex coastal city model. In this study, we adopted adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) for its efficiency in tsunami modelling with Basilisk open-source flow solver for non-linear shallow water (Saint-Venant) equations and fully non-linear Boussinesq (Green-Naghdi) equations (Popinet (2015)). The numerical experiment was conducted to validate the model by comparing the wave height with the physical model experiment, the 2D, and Q3D model results by Prasetyo et al. (2019).