Webb Research: Slocum Glider

WEBB RESEARCH CORPORATION

Products > Slocum Glider

Conceived by Douglas C. Webb and supported by Henry Stommel and others, the class of Slocum Gliders is named after Joshua Slocum, the first man to single-handedly sail around the world. See Orgins of Glider Concept It is a uniquely mobile network component capable of moving to specific locations and depths, occupying controlled spatial and temporal grids. Driven in a sawtooth vertical profile by variable buoyancy, the glider moves both horizontally and vertically.
Long-range and satellite remote sensing systems are being realized in the ocean measurement field. These systems are being used to quantify currents, sea surface height, temperature, and optical properties of the water enabling modeling and prediction of ocean state variables in the littoral zone. A similar nested grid of subsurface observations is required to maximize the impact and ground-truth the more extensive surface remote sensing observations.
The long range and duration capabilities of the Slocum gliders make them ideally suited for subsurface sampling at the regional scale. The Slocum gliders can be programmed to patrol for weeks at a time, surfacing to transmit their data to shore while downloading new instructions at regular intervals, at a substantial cost savings compared to traditional surface ships. The small relative cost and the ability to operate multiple vehicles with minimal personnel and infrastructure will enable small fleets of Gliders to study and map the dynamic (temporal and spatial) features of our subsurface coastal waters around-the-clock and calendar.

Conceived by Douglas C. Webb and supported by Henry Stommel and others, the class of Slocum Gliders is named after Joshua Slocum, the first man to single-handedly sail around the world.

See Orgins of Glider Concept

It is a uniquely mobile network component capable of moving to specific locations and depths, occupying controlled spatial and temporal grids. Driven in a sawtooth vertical profile by variable buoyancy, the glider moves both horizontally and vertically.

Long-range and satellite remote sensing systems are being realized in the ocean measurement field. These systems are being used to quantify currents, sea surface height, temperature, and optical properties of the water enabling modeling and prediction of ocean state variables in the littoral zone. A similar nested grid of subsurface observations is required to maximize the impact and ground-truth the more extensive surface remote sensing observations.

The long range and duration capabilities of the Slocum gliders make them ideally suited for subsurface sampling at the regional scale. The Slocum gliders can be programmed to patrol for weeks at a time, surfacing to transmit their data to shore while downloading new instructions at regular intervals, at a substantial cost savings compared to traditional surface ships.

The small relative cost and the ability to operate multiple vehicles with minimal personnel and infrastructure will enable small fleets of Gliders to study and map the dynamic (temporal and spatial) features of our subsurface coastal waters around-the-clock and calendar.

Versatile, maneuverable and powered with alkaline batteries the electric glider can be deployed for a period of 15 to 30 days at a 600 to 1500km range. Its flexible payload allows it to carry customized sensors. The Coastal glider can be operated to a depth of 4-200 meters. The 1km glider can be operated to depth of 1000 meters.

Long range and endurance using environmental energy (Thermal Engine), the thermal glider can be deployed at a maximal depth of 2000 meters for a period of 5 years at a 40,000 kms range.

The science bay is an exchangeable 5L payload capacity that can be adaptable to a number of sensors used in scientific data retrieval. This section has an independent computer that operates the data acquisition process and communicates with the main vehicle computer, which in turn accesses and transmits the information