The Mediterranean Moored Multi-sensor Array (M3A): system development and initial results

Abstract

Abstract. Operational forecasting of ocean circulation and marine ecosystem fluctuations requires multi-parametric real-time measurements of physical and biochemical properties. The architecture of a system that is able to provide such measurements from the upper-thermocline layers of the Mediterranean Sea is described here. The system was developed for the needs of the Mediterranean Forecasting System and incorporates state-of-the-art sensors for optical and chemical measurements in the upper 100 m and physical measurements down to 500 m. Independent moorings that communicate via hydro-acoustic modems are hosting the sensors. The satellite data transfer and the large autonomy allow for the operation of the system in any open-ocean site. The system has been in pre-operational use in the Cretan Sea since January 2000. The results of this pilot phase indicate that multi-parametric real-time observations with the M3A system are feasible, if a consistent maintenance and recalibration program is followed. The main limitations of the present configuration of M3A are related: (a) to bio-fouling that primarily affects the turbidity and secondarily affects the other optical sensors, and (b) to the limited throughput of the currently used satellite communication system.

Mediterranean Forecasting System: forecast and analysis assessment through skill scores

“…The moored buoys data are from the Puertos del Estado deep sea network (Alvarez-Fanjul et al, 2003), located where the water column is at least 200 m deep, and from the M3A network (Nittis et al, 2007;Nittis et al, 2003 Fig. 2a.…”

The assessment of temperature and salinity sampling strategies in the Mediterranean Sea: idealized and real cases

“…3) IdM3A (Idealized M3A): The simulated M3A network consists of the sites that are active in MFSTEP (W1, E1 and E2) as well as those that might be included as possible future developments of the MFS according to the science plan (Pinardi and Flemming, 1998;Nittis et al, 2003) (Fig. 4).…”

“…Different platforms contribute to the collection of temperature and salinity along the water column in the MFS. In particular, temperature is measured with eXpendable Bathy-Thermographs (XBTs) deployed along Volunteer Observing Ship (VOS) tracks, following the methodology described by Manzella et al (2003); temperature and salinity profiles are measured by Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) probes included in Mediterranean Moored Multi-sensor Arrays (M3A) (Nittis et al, 2003(Nittis et al, , 2006 ), MedARGO profiling floats (Poulain, 2005) and by an autonomous Glider (http://www.ifm.uni-kiel.de). Such data are subsequently assimilated into a Mediterranean General Circulation Model (GCM) for the purpose of forecasting .…”

M3A system (2000–2005) – operation and maintenance

“…The system configuration involved a triple configuration (Fig. 2) and is described in detail by Nittis et al (2003). To confront the M3A system problems that became emergent during the first phase, a number of modifications -upgrades were performed prior to redeployment at the second phase.…”