Instrumentation

Specialist instruments have been developed for the Ships of Opportunity program. As the equipment is often carried on volunteer ships and ferries while they go about their daily business, it is important that the equipment is self contained, is able to operate at ships operating speeds, and needs minimal support from the crew. Instruments are either dropped over the side and not retrieved (i.e. the XBT), towed behind the ship (the Continuous Plankton Recorder-CPR), or attached to an engine water intake system (instruments for measuring CO₂, temperature and salinity).  Regular visits to ships at port stops are required to collect samples, download data, service equipment, and resupply with consumables such as XBTs.

The Multidisciplinary Underway Network utilises 3 types of instruments to collect data:

Expendable Bathythermographs
Biogeochemical sensors
Continuous Plankton Recorders