SAILOR - Southern Adriatic Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Oceanographic Research E2-M3A buoy
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Abstract
The E2-M3A observatory is positioned in the centre of the cyclonic gyre where deep convection process takes place, involving both the atmosphere and the ocean dynamics and forming new dense and oxygenated waters, thus triggering the solubility and the biological pump.
The E2-M3A observatory is particularly devoted towards studies for characterizing the long-term changes of Adriatic sea in response to local climatic forcing.
The observatory E2-M3A ( http://www.fixo3.eu/observatory/e2-m3a/) is part of the FP7-EU project FixO3 (Fixed Point Open Ocean Observatory Network) which seeks to integrate European open ocean observatories and to improve access to these key installations for the broader community. Currently, the system is part of the European contribution to OceanSITES global array. On a national level the observatory is part of the ROBIN e-infrastructure developed under the umbrella of the RITMARE (Ricerca ITaliana per il MARE) project.
Two independent mooring lines compose the configuration of the E2-M3A system. The first of them (A) hosts the surface buoy instrumented with meteo station and radiometers aimed to collect air-sea interaction measurements, sensor for physical (temperature and salinity) and biochemical (oxygen, partial CO2 and pH) parameters deployed in the mixed layer, telemetry, and services. The surface buoy collects the acquired data and transmit them in real time to the on-line server. The secondary mooring line (B) hosts an instrumental chain with sensors at several different depths for physical and chemical measurements from the sea floor to the intermediate layer.