E1-M3A buoy

 POSEIDON is an operational marine monitoring, forecasting and information system for the Greek Seas. The observing component is a distributed infrastructure all over the Greek Seas including three coastal buoys (Saronikos buoy-SB, Heraklion Coastal Buoy-HCB and E1M3A buoy-E1M3A) and one Ferrybox (PFB). A calibration laboratory is supporting the observing activities. The E1-M3A buoy, equipped with meteo, T, C/S, O2, fluorescence, wave sensors and current meter down to 100m in depth, as well as T, C/S down to 1000m is located in the coastal area in the Southern Aegean (Cretan Sea), is representative of oligotrophic conditions. Although coastal the depth of the water column allows deeper observations.

INSTRUMENTS / SENSORS

• Remote: the measuring system is implemented by the operator of the installation and the presence of the user group is not required,
• Partially remote: the presence of the user group is required at some stage e.g. installing and un-installing user’s equipment.

Unit of access (UA): 6 months

Access duration corresponds to the period of installing, operating and un-installing a measuring system by the users (partially remote access) or in his/her behalf by the access provider (remote access).

POSEIDON is both a geographically and scientifically distributed infrastructure in Greek seas offering end-to-end services both to science and to society. Complementary nodes both in off shore and coastal environments integrated into a unique system. From these nodes, the Coastal platforms, SB, HCB, E1-M3A and the FerryBox are open for access to users to host sensors for recording a number of parameters that do not belong to the main POSEIDON portfolio. The nodes have been designed to support the open access to different types of sensors by providing also their data in real time in most of the cases. The access is offered for one of the nodes of the network or for any combination of different nodes. Access to SB, HCB and E1-M3A will be made during the regular maintenance visits (2-4 per year) on-board the R/V Aegaeo. The duration of these visits is usually 1-2 days and can be extended upon request. Additionally, users can have unlimited access to back up buoys in Athens or Crete for preparatory work prior to deployment of their sensors.

The scientific and technical personnel of POSEIDON will carry out all operations, while training courses will be given on both hardware and software. In case of integration of new sensors into the system, the user will have to provide the software and hardware adaptations required.