Drifters

The study of ocean currents and their circulation pattern has aroused great interest in recent decades due to their influence on climatology on a global scale and consequently the direct repercussions on habitability conditions.

Introduction

The Drift Buoy Project is a collaborative project between the Canary Islands Institute of Marine Sciences and the AOML (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory) / NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Since the beginning of this project in 1998, a drift buoy has been launched every month at the ESTOC Oceanographic Station located 60 miles north of Gran Canaria.

At present all data from these buoys are being processed to establish patterns in subsurface currents as well as their seasonality and variability in the environment of the Canary Archipelago. These data can be integrated into predictive models of drift objects, in order to be able to advise in case of human losses or material in marine accidents.

Deployments

#	*Identifier*	*Release Date*	*Deployment Means*
1	122703	26/09/2017	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
2	122707	13/04/2017	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
3	122702	11/10/2016	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
4	122693	08/06/2016	J.SOCAS
5	122694	21/02/2016	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
6	122695	26/10/2015	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
7	122697	29/09/2015	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
8	122699	02/06/2014	SARMIENTO DE GAMBOA
9	118412	25/02/2014	POSEIDON
10	118414	08/10/2013	ÁNGELES ALVARIÑO
11	118417	21/04/2013	RAMÓN MARGALEF
12	118411	27/02/2013	ATLANTIC EXPLORET
13	118418	31/10/2012	HELICOPTERO SAR
14	118416	27/07/2012	HELICOPTERO SAR
15	44089	29/03/2012	HELICOPTERO SAR
16	44096	03/12/2011	CORNIDE SAAVEDRA
17	44113	01/09/2011	HELICOPTERO SAR
18	44107	17/05/2011	ATLANTIC EXPLORET
19	44106	12/04/2011	HELICOPTERO SAR
20	44103	18/01/2011	HELICOPTERO SAR
21	71116	11/11/2010	VIZCONDE DE EZA
22	44115	11/11/2010	VIZCONDE DE EZA
23	71125	19/06/2010	POSEIDON
24	71093	08/04/2010	VIZCONDE DE EZA
25	71095	11/11/2009	VIZCONDE DE EZA
26	71091	01/10/2009	HELICOPTERO SAR
27	75338	20/05/2009	Prof. IGNACIO LOZANO
28	71105	08/04/2009	MERIAN
29	71119	25/03/2009	PIXAPE II
30	71111	27/01/2009	POSEIDON
31	71109	04/12/2008	SARMIENTO DE GAMBOA
32	71126	20/10/2008	HELICOPTERO SAR
33	71122	01/07/2008	HELICOPTERO SAR
34	71098	15/04/2008	POSEIDON
35	71101	30/03/2008	HELICOPTERO SAR
36	71104	30/01/2008	HELICOPTERO SAR
37	62326	30/10/2007	POSEIDON
38	62327	30/10/2007	POSEIDON
39	62328	30/10/2007	POSEIDON
40	71092	30/10/2007	POSEIDON
41	62325	06/06/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
42	62329	06/06/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
43	62330	06/06/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
44	62331	06/06/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
45	62332	20/03/2007	MERIAN
46	62333	19/02/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
47	62334	19/02/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
48	62335	19/02/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
49	62336	19/02/2007	HELICOPTERO SAR
50	62291	09/12/2006	POSEIDON
51	62292	04/11/2006	POSEIDON
52	62294	04/11/2006	POSEIDON
53	62290	04/11/2006	POSEIDON
54	62293	03/10/2006	PIXAPE II
55	54686	09/08/2006	SOLANA
56	54684	08/06/2006	PIXAPE II
57	54685	27/04/2006	CENTINELA
58	54683	04/03/2006	POSEIDON
59	54687	26/01/2006	CAZADORA
60	54679	06/12/2005	POSEIDON
61	54678	22/11/2005	POSEIDON
62	54680	28/10/2005	VENCEDORA
63	54682	28/09/2005	CENTINELA
64	43589	26/08/2005	VENCEDORA
65	43590	28/07/2005	PIXAPE II
66	43588	26/05/2005	CENTINELA
67	43591	11/03/2005	POSEIDON
68	43587	15/02/2005	CENTINELA
69	43586	11/01/2005	CENTINELA
70	43585	05/12/2004	POSEIDON
71	43582	04/11/2004	VENCEDORA
72	43583	07/10/2004	CALETON
73	43584	20/04/2004	POSEIDON
74	39202	13/03/2004	CENTINELA
75	39201	13/02/2004	CENTINELA
76	39203	30/01/2004	CENTINELA
77	39204	16/12/2003	CENTINELA
78	39197	30/10/2003	POSEIDON
79	39207	10/09/2003	THALASSA
80	39200	01/08/2003	TALIARTE
81	39199	15/07/2003	TALIARTE
82	39193	13/06/2003	METEOR
83	39194	13/05/2003	TOFIÑO
84	39195	05/04/2003	POSEIDON
85	39196	16/03/2003	TALIARTE
86	33191	18/02/2003	TALIARTE
87	33192	29/01/2003	TALIARTE
88	33190	04/12/2002	TALIARTE
89	33193	22/11/2002	TALIARTE
90	33195	15/10/2002	TALIARTE
91	33194	12/09/2002	TALIARTE
92	30315	28/06/2002	TALIARTE
93	30316	14/05/2002	TALIARTE
94	30314	13/04/2002	METEOR
95	33185	03/03/2002	POSEIDON
96	33186	25/02/2002	CENTINELA
97	33188	21/12/2001	MEDAS
98	33184	30/11/2001	MEDAS
99	33187	09/10/2001	MEDAS
100	33189	25/09/2001	TALIARTE
101	30137	29/08/2001	TALIARTE
102	30136	26/06/2001	TALIARTE
103	30054	15/05/2001	TALIARTE
104	30138	21/04/2001	TALIARTE
105	30139	21/03/2001	POSEIDON
106	30193	19/02/2001	CORNIDE SAAVEDRA
107	21680	02/12/2000	TALIARTE
108	21677	22/11/2000	TALIARTE
109	21678	10/10/2000	TALIARTE
110	21676	21/09/2000	TALIARTE
111	21343	29/08/2000	TALIARTE
112	21679	01/08/2000	TALIARTE
113	20332	20/06/2000	TALIARTE
114	20342	25/05/2000	TALIARTE
115	20343	06/04/2000	POSEIDON
116	20312	15/03/2000	POSEIDON
117	20352	03/02/2000	TALIARTE
118	20334	27/01/2000	TALIARTE
119	20341	01/12/1999	TALIARTE
120	20365	02/11/1999	METEOR
121	20351	23/10/1999	METEOR
122	20329	28/09/1999	TALIARTE
123	20313	31/08/1999	TALIARTE
124	20358	20/07/1999	TALIARTE
125	20181	15/06/1999	TALIARTE
126	20186	01/06/1999	POSEIDON
127	20051	04/05/1999	TALIARTE
128	17783	20/03/1999	POSEIDON
129	20106	25/02/1999	POSEIDON
130	20126	31/01/1999	POSEIDON
131	20097	15/12/1998	TALIARTE
132	20070	19/11/1998	TALIARTE
133	30667	27/09/1998	METEOR
134	30678	28/08/1998	GRACIA DEL MAR
135	30668	11/07/1998	METEOR
136	30666	25/06/1998	METEOR
137	30681	19/05/1998	TALIARTE
138	30680	24/04/1998	POSEIDON
139	30669	24/03/1998	POSEIDON
140	30679	18/02/1998	TALIARTE

Technical Specifications

Surface buoy components: :

a temperature sensor and a drogue sensor
the Argos transmitter antenna (position accuracy: 500 metres)
the battery

Cable tether:

Its function is to connect the buoy to the drogue
It contains a subsurface buoy at a depth of 3 metres

Counter-weight or drogue (Holey-Sock)::

It has a floating anchor function
It is cylindrical and has a 1 metre diameter and is 6.5 metres long
It has 14 holes cut on both sides
It is centred at 15 metres

Its average lifespan is estimated to be: 1.5 years