Bedford Basin Ocean Monitoring Buoy
The Dalhousie Bedford Basin Optical Monitoring Buoy is a state-of-the-art instrumented buoy designed to measure several key environmental parameters, such as air and water temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, air pressure, salinity, oxygen concentration and saturation, nitrate concentration, phytoplankton fluorescence, turbidity, spectral light attenuation, and spectral radiance reflectance. Custom time-series data is available via our graphing page.
Click an instrument or use the diagram menu to get current readings and more information on our station and its capabilities.
The buoy uses a GSM modem to communicate with an email server on shore. Data files are encoded on the buoy and sent as e-mail attachments, which are processed in real time by our data servers. Use of the modem obviates the need for line-of-sight communications and will allow us to communicate with the buoy even if it inadvertently moves from its mooring location.
Depth: Surface
Latest Readings
Air Temp: 11.2 C
Wind Speed: 2.15 m/s
Wind Direction:226 degrees
Humidity:61.1 %
Pressure:1008.3 millibars
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The WXT520 is a general purpose, marine grade weather station. It measures 6 parameters: air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and liquid precipitation. Meteorological measurements are used in a variety of applications, such as ocean mixing models and clear-sky irradiance models.
Depth: Surface
Latest Readings
Solar Irradiance: 327.59 umoles/m^2/s
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The HyperOCR measures the amount and quality of sunlight above the water's surface at ~135 wavelengths, all the way from the UV to the near infrared. By combining the data from this sensor and the upwelling radiance sensor, we can calculate remote sensing reflectance, or ocean color. Ocean color is also calculated from measurements made by satellites (e.g. MODIS (NASA), MERIS (European Space Agency)), and gives a wealth of information on what is in the water, such as phytoplankton and suspended sediments. Instruments like the HyperOCR allow space agencies to validate and calibrate their own instruments in space.
Depth: Surface
Latest Readings
Lat: 44.695673
Long: 63.639924
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The 17x HVS unit provides position information on the buoy. It is installed on the buoy as a safety precaution, in case the unthinkable happens and the buoy breaks free from its anchor lines.
Depth: Surface
Latest Readings
Battery Voltage: 12.41 V
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The 102Ah battery pack consists of 60 alkaline D-cell configured to produce 16V nominal output. Depending on the buoy's sampling schedule and the ambient temperature, a fresh battery pack will last ~4 weeks. Previous versions of the buoy had solar panels connected to rechargeable batteries. While it was more convenient not to have to replace a battery pack, the solar panels provided large surface areas for ice build up. Since the buoy is intended to be in the water year round, the solar panels had to go.
The STOR-X data logger serves two primary purposes for the buoy. It is the buoy's power manager, sending the proper amount of electricity down to the sensors at the appropriate time. It is also the data manager, collecting all of the values from disparate sensors and collating them into a single data file with time stamps on each data frame. Due to the number of sensors exceeding the number of serial ports available on the STOR-X, two data loggers were set up in a master and slave combination. The master STOR-X receives the data from the slave STOR-X and sends both its own data file and the slave's to the modem for transmission. The schedule on the master STOR-X can be changed remotely.
The STOR-X data logger serves two primary purposes for the buoy. It is the buoy's power manager, sending the proper amount of electricity down to the sensors at the appropriate time. It is also the data manager, collecting all of the values from disparate sensors and collating them into a single data file with time stamps on each data frame. Due to the number of sensors exceeding the number of serial ports available on the STOR-X, two data loggers were set up in a master and slave combination. The slave STOR-X transmits its data to the master STOR-X on a pre-determined schedule. The schedule on the slave STOR-X cannot be changed remotely.
Depth: 0.5m
Latest Readings
Turbidity: 0.47 NTU
Fluorescence: 0.24 volts
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
Fluorometers provide estimates of the concentration of phytoplankton in the water. When phytoplankton absorb light they emit a red glow. Fluorometers take advantage of this by flashing blue light (470 nm) into the water and measuring the red glow (695 nm) emitted by the nearby phytoplankton. The amount of red light measured by the instrument is roughly proportional to the amount of phytoplankton in the water but can also be affected by species composition and nutritional status of the phytoplankton. Turbidity sensors estimate water clarity by measuring optical backscatter of particulate material. Red light (700 nm) is flashed into the water and the amount of this light scattered back into a detector positioned at 140 deg to the emitter is measured. While neither fluorescence or turbidity are absolute measures since different phytoplankton and/or particles have different optical properties, both are very useful in determining the ecological status of a water body.
Depth: 0.5m
The HyperOCR measures the amount and quality of sunlight above the water's surface at ~135 wavelengths, all the way from the UV to the near infrared. By combining the data from this sensor and the upwelling radiance sensor, we can calculate remote sensing reflectance, or ocean color. Ocean color is also calculated from measurements made by satellites (e.g. MODIS (NASA), MERIS (European Space Agency)), and gives a wealth of information on what is in the water, such as phytoplankton and suspended sediments. Instruments like the HyperOCR allow space agencies to validate and calibrate their own instruments in space.
Depth: 1m
Latest Readings
Water Temperature: 7.27 C
Salinity: 26.99 S/m
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The SBE37-SI is a conductivity, temperature and pressure sensor. Conductivity, a measure of the water's ability to conduct electricity, is directly related to the salinity of the water. The density of the water can be calculated from measurements of salinity, temperature and pressure.
Depth: 3m
Latest Readings
UV: 0 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue: 0.02 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue-Green:0.05 uW/cm^2/nm
Green: 0.02 uW/cm^2/nm
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The OCR-504 measures the amount of sunlight penetrating the water column at four wavelengths (UV, blue, blue-green and green). The sensor has a copper shutter that covers the measuring surface when the instrument is not sampling, which helps to stop marine organisms from attaching themselves. Substances that affect sunlight penetration include phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), mud and sediment particles, and water itself. By placing these sensors at different depths, we can calculate the rate at which sunlight penetration is decreasing. This rate of decrease helps oceanographers work out how much light is available for phytoplankton to use for photosynthesis throughout the water column.
Depth: 5m
Latest Readings
Water Temperature: 10.09 C
Pressure: 0 decibars
Salinity: 0 S/m
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The SBE37-SI is a conductivity, temperature and pressure sensor. Conductivity, a measure of the water's ability to conduct electricity, is directly related to the salinity of the water. The density of the water can be calculated from measurements of salinity, temperature and pressure.
Depth: 5m
Latest Readings
Turbidity: 1.06 NTU
Fluorescence: 0.09 volts
at 2010-03-30 14:00:00 UTC
Fluorometers provide estimates of the concentration of phytoplankton in the water. When phytoplankton absorb light they emit a red glow. Fluorometers take advantage of this by flashing blue light (470 nm) into the water and measuring the red glow (695 nm) emitted by the nearby phytoplankton. The amount of red light measured by the instrument is roughly proportional to the amount of phytoplankton in the water but can also be affected by species composition and nutritional status of the phytoplankton. Turbidity sensors estimate water clarity by measuring optical backscatter of particulate material. Red light (700 nm) is flashed into the water and the amount of this light scattered back into a detector positioned at 140 deg to the emitter is measured. While neither fluorescence or turbidity are absolute measures since different phytoplankton and/or particles have different optical properties, both are very useful in determining the ecological status of a water body.
Depth: 5m
Latest Readings
Nitrate uMol: 4.57 umol/L
at 2010-02-27 16:00:00 UTC
The SUNA estimates the amount of nitrate present in the water by measuring absorption of energy in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Since nitrate absorbs strongly in the UV, changes in the concentration of nitrate can be measured directly. Nitrate is an important nutrient for the growth of phytoplankton in the ocean. Information about nutrient concentration helps oceanographers to understand important biological processes, such as the spring phytoplankton bloom.
Depth: 5m
Latest Readings
Oxygen Saturation: 91.5 %
at 2010-03-28 13:00:00 UTC
The 3835 oxygen optode estimates oxygen concentration in the water by flashing blue light at a layer of sensing foil and then measuring the amount of red light luminesced by the foil. The foil is impregnated with a chemical compound that, when excited by blue light, emits red light at different times depending on the amount of oxygen present. This time shift can be used to estimate the oxygen concentration in the water. This type of sensor has some advantages over membrane-based sensors for long-term deployments, primarily in that they are less affected by drift and bio-fouling.
Depth: 6m
Latest Readings
UV: 0.04 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue: 0.26 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue-Green:0.21 uW/cm^2/nm
Green: 0.19 uW/cm^2/nm
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The OCR-504 measures the amount of sunlight penetrating the water column at four wavelengths (UV, blue, blue-green and green). The sensor has a copper shutter that covers the measuring surface when the instrument is not sampling, which helps to stop marine organisms from attaching themselves. Substances that affect sunlight penetration include phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), mud and sediment particles, and water itself. By placing these sensors at different depths, we can calculate the rate at which sunlight penetration is decreasing. This rate of decrease helps oceanographers work out how much light is available for phytoplankton to use for photosynthesis throughout the water column.
Depth: 9m
Latest Readings
UV: 0.35 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue: 0.72 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue-Green:0.15 uW/cm^2/nm
Green: 0.14 uW/cm^2/nm
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The OCR-504 measures the amount of sunlight penetrating the water column at four wavelengths (UV, blue, blue-green and green). The sensor has a copper shutter that covers the measuring surface when the instrument is not sampling, which helps to stop marine organisms from attaching themselves. Substances that affect sunlight penetration include phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), mud and sediment particles, and water itself. By placing these sensors at different depths, we can calculate the rate at which sunlight penetration is decreasing. This rate of decrease helps oceanographers work out how much light is available for phytoplankton to use for photosynthesis throughout the water column.
Depth: 10m
Latest Readings
Water Temperature: 9.11 C
Pressure: 0 decibars
Salinity: 0 S/m
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The SBE37-SI is a conductivity, temperature and pressure sensor. Conductivity, a measure of the water's ability to conduct electricity, is directly related to the salinity of the water. The density of the water can be calculated from measurements of salinity, temperature and pressure.
Depth: 12m
Latest Readings
UV: 0.74 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue: 1.4 uW/cm^2/nm
Blue-Green:1.74 uW/cm^2/nm
Green: 2.92 uW/cm^2/nm
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The OCR-504 measures the amount of sunlight penetrating the water column at four wavelengths (UV, blue, blue-green and green). The sensor has a copper shutter that covers the measuring surface when the instrument is not sampling, which helps to stop marine organisms from attaching themselves. Substances that affect sunlight penetration include phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), mud and sediment particles, and water itself. By placing these sensors at different depths, we can calculate the rate at which sunlight penetration is decreasing. This rate of decrease helps oceanographers work out how much light is available for phytoplankton to use for photosynthesis throughout the water column.
Depth: 20m
Latest Readings
Water Temperature: 10.88 C
Pressure: 0 decibars
Salinity: 0 S/m
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The SBE37-SI is a conductivity, temperature and pressure sensor. Conductivity, a measure of the water's ability to conduct electricity, is directly related to the salinity of the water. The density of the water can be calculated from measurements of salinity, temperature and pressure.
Depth: 60m
Latest Readings
Water Temperature: 12.52 C
Pressure: 0 decibars
Salinity: 0 S/m
at 2010-04-06 13:00:00 UTC
The SBE37-SI is a conductivity, temperature and pressure sensor. Conductivity, a measure of the water's ability to conduct electricity, is directly related to the salinity of the water. The density of the water can be calculated from measurements of salinity, temperature and pressure.
Depth: 60m
Latest Readings
Oxygen Saturation: 16.7 %
at 2010-02-02 15:00:00 UTC
The 3835 oxygen optode estimates oxygen concentration in the water by flashing blue light at a layer of sensing foil and then measuring the amount of red light luminesced by the foil. The foil is impregnated with a chemical compound that, when excited by blue light, emits red light at different times depending on the amount of oxygen present. This time shift can be used to estimate the oxygen concentration in the water. This type of sensor has some advantages over membrane-based sensors for long-term deployments, primarily in that they are less affected by drift and bio-fouling.