Oceanography as a field of study of the ocean and its phenomena, can be said to have undergone significant changes in the last few decades. Marine environment is massive most of the time and due to its gross nature difficult to penetrate with noticeable ease; this has over the years made it extremely hard to explain the intricate systems within the oceans. But it is only in the recent past that advances in technology are changing how we investigate the depths and learn about them, the marine ecosystems, circulation, and the effects of anthropogenic activities. Some of the most innovative technological developments in oceanography and their potential for the future of the field is described in this article.
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
A new tool has been assisting oceanographers, namely, the unmanned submersibles or in other words, the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). While rov is controlled by umbilical cables from the surface vessel, autonomous is an independent underwater vehicle for performing long control tasks in harsh environments.
They are installed with several instruments and sensors that allow for the quantification of factors such as temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen. More developed models such as the REMUS (Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS) and the SeaBED are equipped with high resolution abilities to draw maps of the ocean ground, to seize biological samples, and even to use photography and video for making pictures underwater.
This makes the information collected by AUVs very important on the mapping of underwater environments, monitoring pollution levels and giving good insights on the effects of climate change. For instance, AUVs have been deployed to monitor the distribution and concentration of pollutants and to evaluate effectiveness of their dispersion in the ocean, which has been important to management and formulation of environmental standards.
Gliders and Drifters
There are other important assets of modern oceanographic exploration; these include the oceanographic gliders and drifters. Slocum glider is an AUV that operates in a water column by a buoyancy system that propels it. They can move for long distances and give steady information on numerous oceanographic characteristics. This kind of glider is especially employed for investigation of movements of ocean water masses, temperature and density of water and concentrations of nutritive elements.
Remote Sensing Technologies
Consequently, remote sensing technologies have made it possible to cany out observations of geographic and oceanographic phenomena at the basin and global scale from space. Spaceborne sensors, from NASA’s MODIS instrument and ESA’s Sentinel-3, are abundant sources of information on sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration and ocean color.
These sensors incorporate wide ranges of light wavelengths in the identification and quantification processes of properties on the sea surface. For instance, SST data description is highly relevant to the analysis of the impacts of El Niño and La Niña, which are fundamental weather disturbances. Likewise, measurements of chlorophyll assist the scientists in determining the conditions of phytoplankton and they are vital in the analysis of the food chains in the seas as well the overall health of the seas.
Underwater Acoustic Technology
Acoustic methods are essential used in oceanography for tracking marine life and the landscape of the ocean floor. Pressure sensors such as sonar that work based on sound waves for imaging the seabed and for the detection of objects are prospective for preparation of precise bathymetric charts. Multi-beam and side scan sonars provide a high resolution for the bottom and can create 3D images of wrecks, underwater mountains, and hydrothermal vents.
Acoustic tags and tracking systems are employed in order to track other sea animals and their migration patterns. Acoustic tags that are attached to fish, marine mammals or any other organism monitor their activities, movements and the way they respond to the environment around them. Knowing the location of these species and the trends is vital for preservation and for evaluating the effects of interference by man.
Genetic and Molecular Techniques
Molecular techniques in general are fast becoming a wonder in the field of marine biology and oceanography. The PCR process, for instance, permits a sample of water to be analyzed to detect the species that are in it without necessarily capturing them physically. This procedure includes the assessment of DNA particles detached from organisms and released into the water for the determination of the species population. The climate system of earth and thus provide better ground for the conservation and management of the species.
Another useful technique is metagenomics sequencing where the DNA of the entire sample of a specific environment is sequenced in order to get information of microbial population and their processes. Using this technique they discovered how the complex ecosystem of microorganisms exist in the ocean and the ability of these organisms in cycling nutrients and sequestering carbon among other functions.
Integrated Observing Systems
Multivariate observing systems refer to the use of many techniques and data streams in order to track the various operations in the ocean. The GOOD and IOOS are some of the implementing initiatives of such processes as they aim at enhancing the observation of the ocean. These systems assimilate information obtained from satellites, in-situ instruments, AUVs, and research ships into one coherent application used for managing and assessing the state of the ocean.
These integrated systems also allow information to be shared co-currently with various researchers, policymakers and the stakeholders. They are used in many branches of human activity – meteorology, climatology, oceanography, seismology, hydrology, etc.
Challenges and Future Directions
Even today, there are many difficulties that, despite the present technological advances, are still difficult to solve. Logging into extreme deep sea environments implies that the region is very expansive, and the conditions are not very favorable for undertaking research. Furthermore, in both cases, there is the challenge of managing and modeling big data for large datasets for analysis.
Future developments in oceanography would primarily be directed around the advanced functional capabilities of unmanned submersibles, the higher accuracy in remote sensing, and the increased propensity for deep ocean research. Newer technologies such as artificial intelligence and the use of machine learning may also be useful in processing the large datasets that are gathered from oceanographic products for the purpose of forecasting future trends.
Conclusion
Some of the scientific advancement on oceanography research technologies may denote the area and its discoveries in the future. Exploring the seas through underwater robotic vehicles including autonomous submersibles and gliders, acquiring data through remote sensing, and using genetics are some of the possibilities from these developments which are very valuable in understanding the oceans and their processes.
This blog provided such a comprehensive overview of the latest technologies in oceanography.