A Year Below the Surface: HYPM Deployment at the Papa Array

Better than a racecar pit crew? We’d say yes.

On land, pit crews get another shot when the car comes back around. At sea, when our equipment goes overboard, it’s out of sight for an entire year—no second chances. That’s what makes precise coordination and timing so essential during deployments like this one aboard the R/V Sikuliaq.

During the recent Papa cruise, the team successfully deployed the Hybrid Profiler Mooring (HYPM)—a subsurface mooring designed to collect critical oceanographic data for 12 months without retrieval. The HYPM carries a suite of instruments, including a profiling vehicle, which were carefully loaded mid-deployment as the mooring was actively being launched off the ship’s stern. It’s a high-stakes operation requiring tight choreography, expert handling, and clear communication.

This successful deployment highlights the collaborative efforts of scientists and engineers from multiple institutions, including the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (UW-APL) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Featured team members include Amy Larson (UW-APL) and James Dunn, Dan Bogorff, Jessica Kozik, Natalia Moore, Nico Llanos, and Kris Newhall (WHOI).

(c): Dee Emrich, WHOI

(c): Dee Emrich, WHOI