Sustained Ocean Observations

The waters offshore of Bermuda are at the crossroads of major ocean currents originating from as far away as the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. To understand the complex interconnected ocean system and the role the ocean plays in sustaining life and modulating Earth’s climate, long-term measurements are required.

• Established in 1954, Hydrostation 'S' is the longest-running data set of its kind in the world, acquiring measurements of the ocean’s physical properties every two weeks.
• The Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) has continuously measured the particle flux in the deep ocean since 1978. The OFP is the longest running time-series of its kind, and has produced a unique record of temporal variability in the “biological pump,” or material transfer from the surface to the deep ocean.
• The Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) has collected data on the physical, biological and chemical properties of the ocean every month since 1988.
• The Oleander Project is a novel partnership that leverages the container ship Oleander as a "volunteer observing ship" to collect oceanographic data during its weekly travel between Bermuda and New Jersey.

To complement these long-standing ship-based measurement programs, we have acquired a small fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles to conduct high-resolution surveys of the ocean. The Mid-Atlantic Glider Initiative and Collaboration (MAGIC) was established in 2014 and currently has three gliders in its fleet, capable of acquiring continuous measurements of the ocean to depths of 1000 meters for months at a time.