Oceanographic Tools: Argo
Argo
II
Argo II, a towed imaging and mapping
vehicle, carries video cameras, 35-mm and electronic still cameras,
and several different acoustic sensors.
A great deal of oceanographic
research depends upon instruments that are lowered into the water
to perform various tasks. Towed sleds, like Argo II, allow
researchers to cover a great deal of ground in lowerings that
may last for several days.
For more information visit WHOI's Marine Operations
Argo
II Page
Argo II carries video cameras, 35-mm and electronic still cameras, and
several different acoustic sensors. It can be operated around the clock as deep
as 20,000 feet, sending acoustic and video signals via fiber-optic cable to a
shipboard control center, where five technicians fly the vehicle, record data,
and monitor equipment. The resulting suite of data, which may include 100,000
still images and 200 gigabytes of information, requires many months of analysis
following the cruise.
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