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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA PICO- a moored buoy system
Home Why PICO? The Vision The Technology Field Experience Internal
The PICO concept is the result of years of experience with traditional oceanographic moorings and the inherent shortcomings of those systems

   * Safe, simplified deployments (Watch it!)
   * Deep water, high latitude capable
   * Decreased ship requirements
   * Vandal resistant
   * Exportable 'Factory Built' design
   * Low acquisition, deployment, and support cost
"National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should serve as the lead agency for implementing and operating the Integrated Ocean Observing System"
US Ocean Commission
"...develop an integrated global-to-local environmental and ecological observation ... system that will continually monitor the ... ocean, atmosphere and land."
NOAA Strategic Plan, FY2005-2010
"strong support for the development, deployment and maintenance of long-term observing systems"
NSF Committee on Ocean Sciences at the New Millennium

Watch Animation!
Traditional and Pico deployments
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory - A leader in developing ocean observing systems to meet NOAA's mission
US Department of Commerce | NOAA | OAR | PMEL
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
NOAA /R/PMEL
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115		 Phone: (206) 526-6239
Fax: (206) 526-6815
Contacts: pico@noaa.gov
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