OCEANOGRAPHIC BUOY – VIDA

The oceanographic buoy was made and installed by MANTA d.o.o. in 2008. The hull is made of 6 mm thick stainless steel, its diameter is 2.5 m. At the highest point, which is 5m above the surface of the water, a wind gauge is attached. The buoy is anchored to the seabed with three concrete blocks to which it is connected by chains. The angle between the chains is 120. The anchor blocks lie at a depth of approximately 22m.

The buoy named “Vida” has the following instruments: an acoustic 3D anemometer (Gill’s Instruments), a Vaisala air temperature and humidity meter at a height of 3.5 m from the sea surface, a Seacat probe from the Seabird company for measuring the temperature and conductivity of seawater. This probe, which is attached to the hull of the buoy, is at a depth of 3m. Its component is also the Wetlab fluorometer, which measures the concentration of chlorophyll a.

In the hull, just under the top cover, there is a buoy accelerometer and inclination meter (product of the company Xsens). On the seabed lies the AWAC current meter from Nortek, which measures surface waves in addition to currents. A dissolved oxygen concentration meter is also attached to it.

Buoy Vida is equipped with three surveillance cameras, one of which is designed to transmit images from a depth of two meters and is attached to the bottom of the hull. Energy for the operation of all systems is provided by solar panels, a wind generator and a fuel cell. In addition to the already mentioned inclinometers and accelerometers, there are the following electronic assemblies inside the fuselage:

• electronics for controlling energy devices, lead batteries and fuel cells

• electronics for safety in the Vide buoy hull (CO2 gas control sensor inside the hull, IR hatch opening sensor, three sensors for measuring the level of possible water at the bottom of the hull)

• electronics for data acquisition and instrument control

All power and signal cables between instruments above the buoy’s hull and electronics pass through the buoy’s mast. The cables that connect the instruments in the sea to the electronics in the Vide’s hull are routed through a “pipe” with a diameter of approx. 30 cm. The tap at one end pierces the bottom of the buoy’s hull (from there the cables go to the instruments), passes through the hull, pierces the upper surface of the hull and rises approx. 1 m above it. At this point, the faucet curves back (down) toward the surface of the hull. This end of the pipe also pierces the torso. Routing the cables through this protection system prevents possible damage from tethering uninvited visitors, which has happened many times in the past. The 1 m height of the tap bend above the hull prevents water from entering the hull even when the buoy is tilted by 900. However, such a tilt cannot actually even happen.