Observation Tools
Geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) orbit the Earth at 22,000 miles. They are highly advanced observation platforms supplying detailed imagery of the Earth's oceans. Click image for larger view.
The exploration of ecosystems requires detailed study
and observation. Even on land this activity presents a host of
challenges, many of which scientists and researchers have been able to
overcome. Exploring the oceans however, is an entirely different
matter. The ocean is the most complex, challenging, and harsh
environment on Earth, and accessing it requires technology. It has only
been within the last 50 years that technology has advanced to the point
that we have begun to examine the ocean in a systematic, scientific,
and, most importantly, noninvasive way. Our ability to observe the
ocean environment and its resident creatures has finally caught up with
our imaginations.
This section of the Web site highlights technologies that collect data from and about the ocean. Certain tools, such as sondes, CTDs, and drifters, provide specific information about the ocean environment. Other instruments, such as satellites, provide generalized data from which a wide range of observations can be made. The information gathered from the instruments deployed in the oceans and the sky will help us answer many fundamental questions about our world. If we are truly fortunate, we will also gain a better understanding of ourselves and the role we play in the complex web of life on Earth.
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