Hi,
Thanks for your answers.
So the instrument drifts freely at a 1000m-depth. It surfaces every 5 days to transmit its position and data acquired. It stays about 30 min on surface for
transmission, and then goes back to 1000m until next
transmission.
The only thing you can see is the
antenna, so it's impossible to find it during transmission as the only information you have is its position 5 days ago.
http://www.argo.ucsd.edu/Arvor_pourquoi_pas05b.jpg
If we are in position to retrieve it, then we can switch it to "end-of-life" mode, meaning that it will stay on surface and transmit its
GPS position every 10 min.
Using a
GPS device and a
satellite phone, it is then quite easy to find it. We have to act fast and precisely because the surface drifting is not comfortable (biofouling, collision) and
batteries may become low quickly.
Generally, this type of instrument is
lost at sea when
batteries are empty.
But if we could retrieve it, we could clean it, change the batteries, and then deploy it again.
Which is a more substainable way to acquire scientific data.
We have contacted the local authorities and some
fishing companies, but for now, the float is too far from their coast for the operation, that's why we also look for a sailing
boat which will allow us to reach the instrument even though it needs several days of sailing.
Nevertheless, it will also depend of float positions in next few days.
You can check the float position in real time on this map :
http://www.oao.obs-vlfr.fr/maps/en/
http://www.oao.obs-vlfr.fr/web/image...on/map-599.jpg
cheers,
Clément