Del Mar Oceanographic is a global force in ocean science technology, specializing in wave-powered vertical profiling. Find out more >>
With origins in the Ocean Physics Group at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the company is dedicated to advancing ocean observation through innovative, sustainable, and efficient solutions.
The Wirewalker: Wave-Powered Vertical Profiling
The Wirewalker is a highly versatile, wave-powered vertical profiling system designed for continuous oceanographic data collection. Unlike conventional moored instruments, which capture data at fixed depths, the Wirewalker enables high-resolution sampling throughout the entire water column, delivering detailed insights into oceanic conditions.
This 100% mechanical system harnesses wave energy to power its motion, requiring no external power source beyond its onboard sensors. Its ability to operate under diverse wave conditions — from short-period wind chop to massive storm swells — makes it a robust and reliable solution for oceanographers, researchers, and commercial users alike.
Adaptive Sensor Integration
The Wirewalker’s modular design allows for seamless integration of a wide array of oceanographic sensors, enabling tailored configurations for specific research and operational needs. Users currently deploy the system with sensors for:
- Conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTDs)
- Dissolved oxygen measurements
- Chlorophyll-A and FDOM fluorometry
- Optical backscatter and turbidity detection
- Radiometric and PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) analysis
- Plankton imaging
- Acoustic Doppler current profiling (ADCP)
Innovative Functionality & Deployment Versatility
The Wirewalker’s functionality is rooted in its simple yet highly effective design. A buoy provides buoyancy, suspending a taut profiling wire with a weighted base. As waves pass over the buoy, the profiling unit moves along the wire, enabling rapid and repeated vertical sampling. For real-time applications, data transmission is achieved via an inductive modem linked to the buoy’s telemetry system.
Capable of profiling to depths of up to 1,000 meters with speeds of approximately 10 meters per minute, the Wirewalker can log over 100 kilometers of vertical profiling within a week. It can be deployed as a free-drifting unit or moored to the seafloor in configurations proven effective from shallow coastal waters to full-ocean depths. Multiple Wirewalker units can even be deployed on a single mooring, allowing for simultaneous high-resolution data collection in different depth zones.
Advancing Ocean Research & Operational Applications
Traditional moorings provide snapshots of oceanic conditions at fixed depths, missing key details of ocean stratification and movement. The Wirewalker overcomes this limitation by delivering continuous, dynamic profiling, capturing a two-dimensional view of the ocean’s interior across both depth and time. This allows for enhanced interpretation of ocean dynamics, including thermocline shifts, mixing events, and internal wave activity.
Real-World Applications:
- Free drift deployments: Multi-week oceanographic studies, such as those conducted in the Bay of Bengal, tracking temperature, salinity, and turbulent kinetic energy.
- Coastal mooring studies: Extended research on breaking internal waves off Southern California’s coast, revealing their impact on marine ecosystems and ocean circulation.
Expanding the Boundaries of Ocean Science
The Wirewalker’s versatility has made it a critical tool in research, industrial, and defense applications, including:
- Harmful algal bloom detection to protect drinking water and marine ecosystems
- Monitoring turbid plumes from natural and industrial activities
- Freshwater limnological studies in lakes and reservoirs
- Oil spill detection and characterization
- Pollution monitoring and impact assessment of human activities
- Climate change research through biogeochemical data collection
- Real-time aquaculture water quality monitoring
- Internal wave measurements and their role in ocean circulation
- Mixed-layer observations and upper ocean biogeochemical studies
- Tactical oceanography for naval situational awareness
With its ability to capture high-resolution oceanographic data efficiently and reliably, the Wirewalker is shaping the future of ocean observation, empowering researchers and industry professionals to explore and understand the complexities of marine environments like never before.
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