Sascha K. Hooker, Ian L. Boyd, Mark Brandon and Elizabeth Hawker. 2000.
Ocean Challenge 10(2): 25-32.
The primary obstacles to the collection of oceanographic data are the limitations of sampling in time and in three-dimensional space. Ship-board surveys are well designed for detailed sampling at depth, but are constrained in horizontal space, and limited in time by high costs. Satellite monitoring can provide time-series of data over large horizontal spatial scales, but has only limited ability to provide data concerning parameters at depth, and can also be constrained by the necessity for calibration and 'ground-truthing' of data. In contrast, fixed platforms can provide high resolution data over long time periods but only within limited three-dimensional space. So what is the answer?
We are currently investigating the use of an alternative platform which could potentially overcome some of these obstacles. Attaching oceanographic sensors to living apex predators would relinquish the user’s control over fine-scale selection of samples, but could provide potentially limitless data; and if predators were chosen strategically, it could provide detailed information for selected regions of interest.