VLIZ coastal observatory Installations:

Description: Multi platform monitoring of physical, biogeochemistry, and biological
parameters. Underwater ultrasound and porpoise echolocation. Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), Automated unmanned vehicle (AUV). Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). S

a) RV Simon Stevin (Ferry Box / Automatic Underway Measuring System): Semi-continuous measurements are collected on a daily basis through the RV Simon Stevin underway system with the FCM, frrf, fluorometer, turbitidy, oxygen, temperature and salinity sensors. b) VLIZ Thornton Buoy: Stationary offshore buoy close to the offshore wind farm Cpower, measuring semi-continuously pH, current, SPM, chlorophyll a, CO2, oxygen, salinity, temperature, depth. This measurement buoy is a ICOS Class 1 Ocean Station with real-time data transfer. c) VLIZ bottom moored tripods: Ten tripods are continuously deployed at fixed stations across the Belgian part of the North Sea and measure underwater ultra sound and porpoise echolocation. Tripods are equipped with acoustic release system and can be instrumented with additional sensors such as ambient low frequency hydrophones. d) VLIZ regular sampling stations: about 18 stations on the Belgian part of the North Sea are visited for measurements and samples on a monthly or seasonal basis. Measurements include CTD temperature and salinity depth profiles, Fluorescence, nutrients, pigments, secchi depth, zooplankton observations (vpr, zooscan), phytoplankton (flowcam), etc. e) VLIZ Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV): the VLIZ USV is Autonaut watercraft that can fully autonomously perform scientific research of the atmosphere and water (surface) out at sea for weeks or even months straight. The USV can be deployed both nationally (Belgian part of the North Sea) as internationally. It can be launched from a beach, slipway or a research vessel. The USV is equipped to collect depth profiles of temperature and salinity (CTD), chl a, CDOM, turbidity, ADCP current f) VLIZ Automated unmanned vehicle (AUV): the VLIZ AUV is a Gavia from Teledyne that is operational till depths of 1000 meters. The AUV is used in both national and international waters. The robot can be deployed from a dock, a small RHIB or from a large research vessel. The AUV is equipped to collect depth profiles of temperature and salinity (CTD), CTD, oxygen, chl a, turbitidy, POM, ADCP, CO2, Nitrate, has a digital camera and a multibeam on board. g) VLIZ Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV): the ROV Genesis is (l-w-h; 1.40 – 0.87 – 1.11m) deployable down to 1400m, and controlled by a pilot from a container mounted on the research vessel. Since 2015, the ROV Genesis is also deployed from the RV Simon Stevin for scientific campaigns in the shallow coastal water of the Belgian part of the North Sea taking bottom cores or mapping the sea bottom. The ROV is equipped with several lights, colour and black-and-white cameras, a working arm for simple samplings, and continuous registration of depth, course, height, swell, slope, temperature, turbidity and chlorophyll

Website: www.vliz.be, http://vliz.be/en/vliz-monitoring,   http:///en/marine-robotics-centre

Modality of access under this proposal: MoA1/MoA2. UA: day Modality used to
declare access costs: TA-AC

The installations of the VLIZ coastal observatory are operated in the Belgian Part of the North Sea (BPNS) to serve marine scientists in Flanders and abroad. The BPNS covers the most south-western part of the North Sea and is bordered by the English Channel to the south-west and by the central part of the North Sea to the north-east. The BPNS is influenced by water from the ‘channel’ and from freshwater inputs from the Yzer and Scheldt and contains a unique sand bank system. The installations of the observatory are operated on a regular basis in the framework of the collection of long-term data series. In addition, the installations are deployed for ad hoc studies upon request. The observatory serves over 20 research groups a year directly. Thousands of users are served through the redistribution of collected data by the VLIZ data centre, a national oceanographic data centre of the IOC-IODE. This is done through various networks and portals including SeaDataNet, EMODNET, OBIS, etc. Specific virtual labs are developed in collaboration with LifeWatch to explore specific data types