Analyzing drifter designs and data gathering methods in complex estuarine environments

Senior thesis written for Oceanography 445

[author abstract] The ability to accurately and consistently map ocean circulation is important for understanding marine processes like sediment transport, pollution distribution, and plankton migration. My study compares three distinct drifter designs and evaluates the effectiveness of each design in terms of build-ability, ease of deployment, collecting data, and accuracy in observations. Two of the designs, the Davis design and the sock design, are industry standards. The other was a novel design consisting of, one surface and one drogue. The drogue drifters were designed to drift at a depth of 7 meters. All of the drifters were deployed off of Edward’s Point, near Edmonds, WA and all drifters experienced a flood and ebb tide allowing this study to look at the differences in current between the two stages of tide.

University of Washington School of Oceanography