The Coastal Ocean Observation System of Murcia Region (OOCMUR) was established in 2008 as a major scientific and technological infrastructure in Spain with the main objective of studying the impact of global climate change in the Mediterranean. The coastal lagoon of Mar Menor in southeast Spain was chosen as the first region to be monitored because it is one of the most hypersaline coastal lagoons in the Mediterranean, with a limited exchange of water with the open sea, and it is the largest in Europe. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) offer an efficient and innovative solution for oceanographic monitoring, allowing a higher density sensor deployment, at a lower cost. This paper presents the design of an ad hoc WSN system and a control software for Mar Menor monitoring using a buoy structure with sensors, energy harvesting, and communications platform. The study focuses on the oceanographic interest of the selected marine area, details of network deployment, the custom-designed sensor nodes, and the results of system operation.

Over the last decade, ocean sunfish movements have been monitored worldwide using various satellite tracking methods. This study reports the near-real time monitoring of fine-scale (< 10 m) behaviour of sunfish. The study was conducted in southern Portugal in May 2014 and involved satellite tags and underwater and surface robotic vehicles to measure both the movements and the contextual environment of the fish. A total of four individuals were tracked using custom-made GPS satellite tags providing geolocation estimates of fine-scale resolution. These accurate positions further informed sunfish areas of restricted search (ARS), which were directly correlated to steep thermal frontal zones. Simultaneously, and for two different occasions, an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) video-recorded the path of the tracked fish and detected buoyant particles in the water column. Importantly, the densities of these particles were also directly correlated to steep thermal gradients. Thus, both sunfish foraging behaviour (ARS) and possibly prey densities, were found to be influenced by analogous environmental conditions. In addition, the dynamic structure of the water transited by the tracked individuals was described by a Lagrangian modelling approach. The model informed the distribution of zooplankton in the region, both horizontally and in the water column, and the resultant simulated densities positively correlated with sunfish ARS behaviour estimator (r_s = 0.184, p<0.001). The model also revealed that tracked fish opportunistically displace with respect to subsurface current flow. Thus, we show how physical forcing and current structure provide a rationale for a predator’s fine-scale behaviour observed over a two weeks in May 2014.

The tragic Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 as well as the increase in deepwater offshore activity have increased public interest in counter-measures available for sub-surface releases of hydrocarbons. To arrive at proper contingency planning, response managers urge for a system for instant detection and characterization of accidental releases. Along these lines, this paper describes the application of a heterogeneous robotic system of unmanned vehicles: autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), unmanned surface vehicle (USV) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) extended with the oil spill numerical modeling, visualisation and decision support capabilities. A first set of field experiments simulating oil spill scenarios with Rhodamine WT was held in Croatia during the early autumn 2014. The objectives of this experiment were to test: effectiveness of the system for underwater detection of hydrocarbons, including multi-vehicle collaborative navigation and communication as well as visualisation of the system components.

This paper presents a report from a cruise onboard the R/V Falkor oceanographic vessel from the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The goal of this cruise was to demonstrate a novel approach to observe the ocean with multiple underwater, surface, and aerial vehicles, as well with the R/V Falkor also used as the base and control center for all assets. We describe the planning phase leading up to the cruise, the technical approach, developments and timeline of results and decisions made throughout the cruise.Our approach combines a set of new technologies that enabled scientists and engineers to obtain a synoptic view of the study area, with adjustable spatial and temporal resolution, and to compare data collected in near real-time to the outputs of computational models. This approach was applied to map the Pacific Ocean's Subtropical front with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions.