Turbulent-Flow Current Meter (VEL3D) V14

During ROPOS Dive 1629 of the VISIONS'13 Expedition, a current meter (tripod with red legs) and pressure sensor (SBE) were powered up and tested using through the medium powered J-box MJ01A. The ROV ROPOS provided power and communications and the data were streamed live up to the R/V Thompson through ROPOS's fiber optic tether. Here , the water depth was 10,000 ft.

A current meter (tripod with red legs) measures local currents and temperature. When deployed in conjunction with a nearby broadband seismometer, current meters can provide important data for processing of seismic information. Local currents can induce "noise" into the acoustic signal and current meter data allows filtering of this "noise." The RSN's VELD3 turbulent flow current meter measures how seawater mixes at the small scale. This behavior is important in understanding how heat, mass, and momentum are transported through the ocean.

During VISIONS '14, current meters are expected to be deployed at Axial Base (MJ03A), the International District in the Axial caldera (MJ03D), Slope Base (MJ01A), Southern Hydrate Ridge Sunmmit 1 (LJ01B), in the Endurance Offshore Benthic Package (LJ01C), the Endurance Nearshore Shelf Benthic Package (LJ01D), and on multiple deep (DP03A, DPO1A, DPO1B) and shallow (SF03A, SF01A, SF01B) profiler subsystems.

Current meter Overview