The OOI-CGSN team successfully deployed the Central Shallow Water Mooring (CNSW) at Pioneer MAB, adding another critical component to the Pioneer Array’s comprehensive ocean observing network.
A standout feature of CNSW is the Prawler, an innovative profiling vehicle designed to move up and down the mooring wire while continuously sampling the water column. As it travels, the Prawler collects important oceanographic measurements including salinity, temperature, pressure, and fluorescence—providing scientists with detailed vertical profiles of changing ocean conditions.
What makes the Prawler especially remarkable is its power source: wave motion. By harnessing the natural movement of the buoy at the ocean surface, the system operates without requiring traditional onboard power for profiling.
Image credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
Image credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).