Advancing the Ocean Observatory Spar Buoy Design

两种基本类型的开放海洋平台已被确定用于猎户座计划的全球组成部分-铁饼和桅杆浮标。候选铁饼浮标的设计已经进展到在太平洋西北部和蒙特利湾部署原型的程度，而桅杆的设计在6年的DEOS之后没有进展。项目计划要求提供资金，为浮标提供更新的设计和成本研究。拟议的研究将基于1)通过美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的援助请求（RFA）过程和随后的公共科学论坛确定的具体桅杆位置；2)最近安装几个带有聚酯系泊的桅杆的经验；3)新型梁的制作方法，特别是单元梁的制作方法；4)在桅杆上使用浮式甲板的经验；5)在过去一年中，起锚拖船和平台供应船的成本大幅增加；6)被确定为SPAR部署的主要候选地点的气象和海浪数据（后播）。他们将开发高纬度桅杆的设计概念——这在如此恶劣的环境中是一个特殊的挑战，但对海洋科学来说是一个高度优先的地点。建议的设计更新也将侧重于浮标的安装和维修方法。特别是，我们将研究湿拖曳和干运输桅杆到部署地点之间的权衡。更广泛的影响本提案的结果将成为ORION计划和其他海洋社区最先进的桅杆浮标设计的极有价值的资源和参考。随着人们对海洋观测系统的兴趣的增加，不仅是为了研究，而且是为了操作应用，对浮筒设计的能力进行评估，以满足偏远和/或恶劣环境下的动力、结构、部署、系泊和服务要求，对全世界的海洋社区来说将具有非常大的价值。拟议的活动将促进ORION的目标，预期该目标将大大促进与海洋观测、数据和对海洋及其一般社会经济应用的更大了解有关的教学、培训和学习。

Two basic types of open-ocean platforms have been identified for use in the Global component of the ORION Program - the discus and spar buoys. The designs of candidate discus buoys have advanced to the point of deployment of prototypes off the Pacific Northwest and Monterey Bay whereas the spar design has not progressed beyond the 6- year old DEOS. The PIs request funding to provide an updated design and cost study of the spar buoy. The proposed study will be based on 1) specific spar locations established through the NSF's Request For Assistance (RFA) process and subsequent public scientific forum 2) recent experience with the installation of several spars with polyester moorings; 3) new fabrication methods for spars, especially the cell spar; 4) experience with float-over decks on spars; 5) the huge increase in costs for anchor handling tugs and platform supply vessels in the past year; and 6) meteorological and wave data (hindcast) for the three sites identified as prime candidates for spar deployments. They will develop design concepts for a high latitude spar - a particular challenge in such a harsh environment, but a high priority site for Ocean science. The proposed design update will also focus on methods for installation and servicing of the buoys. In particular, we will examine the tradeoffs between wet-towing and dry-transporting the spar to its deployments site. Broader ImpactsThe results of this proposal will be an extremely valuable resource and reference on the state-of-the-art of spar buoy designs for the ORION Program and rest of the ocean community. With the increased interest in ocean observing systems for not only research but for operational applications, an evaluation of the ability of the spar buoy design to meet power, structural, deployment, mooring and servicing requirements in remote and/or harsh environments will be of very great value to the ocean community world-wide. The proposed activity will advance the objectives of ORION which is expected to significantly promote teaching, training and learning as related to ocean observations, data and a greater understanding of the ocean and its socio-economic applications in general.