12
fjord. In order to have continuous year-long observations at Kongsfjorden, NCAOR
1
approached Ocean Observation Systems (OOS) of National Institute of Ocean
Technology (NIOT), Chennai, India which designed and developed India’s first
multisensory moored underwater observatory. The mooring components and sensors were tested for harsh Arctic environmental condition at Environmental chamber of NIOT and based on the results, in-house modifications were completed during
the year 2014 and the first Indian Arctic mooring – IndARC was deployed jointly by
NCAOR and NIOT, on 23rd July 2014 (Venkatesan et al. 2016). The mooring is
continuously in operation for data collection since then.
Though numerous mooring configurations have been evolved to suit for the
Arctic environmental conditions, the general considerations in the design of moorings are as follows:
• Depth at the deployment location
• Buoyancy of the subsurface floats to be used
• The loads imposed on the mooring by the subsurface buoy due to the action of
current.
• Required life of the mooring and the servicing facilities available.
• Local conditions that cause wear and corrosion of the mooring components and
sensors.
• Deployment procedure.
• Availability of Ship
• Logistics in handling equipment from India to Longyearbyen and Ny-Alesund.
The location of IndARC mooring was chosen based on the scientific need. The
selected location is close to the glaciers and the scientific phenomenon could be
easily observed from the data (Fig. 1).
This paper presents the continuous enhancements in the IndArc system, operational details and samples of data analysis that indicate the need for long term data
in the Arctic.
2 IndArc System Enhancements and Operation Details
2.1 Sensor Suites of IndARC Mooring
• IndARC I mooring (Venkatesan et al. 2016) was equipped with 6 CTD
(Conductivity, Temperature, Depth), 2 DO (Dissolved Oxygen), 1 SPCM (Single
point current meter), 1 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (150 kHz), Argos
Beacons and serial acoustic releases. IndARC II mooring was enhanced with 7
CTD, 2 DO, an Ambient Noise Measurement System with a single hydrophone,
2 PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) sensor, 2 FLNTUS (Fluorescence
and Turbidly) sensor, 1 SPCM, 1 ADCP-300 kHz, 1 SUNA (Submersible
Ultraviolet Nitrate Analyser) Tandem Acoustic release and Argos Beacons
1 Now known as National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
R. Venkatesan et al.
fjord. In order to have continuous year-long observations at Kongsfjorden, NCAOR
1
approached Ocean Observation Systems (OOS) of National Institute of Ocean
Technology (NIOT), Chennai, India which designed and developed India’s first
multisensory moored underwater observatory. The mooring components and sensors were tested for harsh Arctic environmental condition at Environmental chamber of NIOT and based on the results, in-house modifications were completed during
the year 2014 and the first Indian Arctic mooring – IndARC was deployed jointly by
NCAOR and NIOT, on 23rd July 2014 (Venkatesan et al. 2016). The mooring is
continuously in operation for data collection since then.
Though numerous mooring configurations have been evolved to suit for the
Arctic environmental conditions, the general considerations in the design of moorings are as follows:
• Depth at the deployment location
• Buoyancy of the subsurface floats to be used
• The loads imposed on the mooring by the subsurface buoy due to the action of
current.
• Required life of the mooring and the servicing facilities available.
• Local conditions that cause wear and corrosion of the mooring components and
sensors.
• Deployment procedure.
• Availability of Ship
• Logistics in handling equipment from India to Longyearbyen and Ny-Alesund.
The location of IndARC mooring was chosen based on the scientific need. The
selected location is close to the glaciers and the scientific phenomenon could be
easily observed from the data (Fig. 1).
This paper presents the continuous enhancements in the IndArc system, operational details and samples of data analysis that indicate the need for long term data
in the Arctic.
2 IndArc System Enhancements and Operation Details
2.1 Sensor Suites of IndARC Mooring
• IndARC I mooring (Venkatesan et al. 2016) was equipped with 6 CTD
(Conductivity, Temperature, Depth), 2 DO (Dissolved Oxygen), 1 SPCM (Single
point current meter), 1 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (150 kHz), Argos
Beacons and serial acoustic releases. IndARC II mooring was enhanced with 7
CTD, 2 DO, an Ambient Noise Measurement System with a single hydrophone,
2 PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) sensor, 2 FLNTUS (Fluorescence
and Turbidly) sensor, 1 SPCM, 1 ADCP-300 kHz, 1 SUNA (Submersible
Ultraviolet Nitrate Analyser) Tandem Acoustic release and Argos Beacons
1 Now known as National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
R. Venkatesan et al.