Environmental Technologies Inc.

The Envirtech MKIV, 3-Metres buoy, is state of the art in met-ocean data gathering. The buoy is composed of a multi-sector rotationally moulded, foam-filled floats, and stainless steel mechanical frame and turret. It can host many payloads. In standard configuration it includes a solid-state MEMS directional wave measurement pack, an automatic weather station (AWS)and a sea surface temperature transducer. Payloads can be expanded with further instrumentation to measure bio-chemical and physical parameters, like multi-parameter probes, ADCPs (both reversed assembling or on-seabed deployed), multi-satellite, multi-channel receiver for iSSH measurement (tide). The buoy dimensions, the focal light height and the radar corner reflector allow good visibility in any conditions, day or night. The buoy is the ideal solution for permanent floating laboratories.

Envirtech MKIII Data Buoys are tall, thin buoys that float upright in the water and are characterized by a small water plane area and a large mass. Because they tend to be stable ocean platforms, spar buoys are popular for making oceanographic measurements. In Envirtech ocean data acquisition systems, spar buoys are used to collect data from the sea bottom and to relay this data using satellites, such as Inmarsat or Iridium, to a control center on shore. The buoy assures a very stable platform for bidirectional communications to from the ocean bottom, and allows total remote control of deployed devices. Together with an Envirtech Tsunameter the MKIII is a reliable part of any marine tsunami warning system. The buoy survives to Cyclons (Beaufort 14-17 extend scale – checked with Typhoon Megi in 2010)

Envirtech MKI-4 buoy assures a stable platform for bidirectional communications to from the ocean bottom, and allows total remote control of deployed devices. Together underwater modules, like Calypso or Poseidon Class devices, the MKI-4 is a reliable part of the marine segment of a tsunami warning system. It has been designed taking in mind the big experience matured by Envirtech in Bengal Bay, the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea, to mitigate vandalism risk and to implement easy to deploy (ETD) procedures as requested by end-users. It can be deployed easily using relative small fishing boats or oceanographic and supply vessels and can be serviced on board avoiding the return in port for maintenance operations. The MKI-4 can be ordered in two configurations with solar panels or powered by lithium batteries. A special hook consents a safe management of all deployment operations.

The Envirtech MKVI buoy consents to extend awareness about the marine environment beyond the horizon. As first goal the buoy detects, identifies and tracks cooperative maritime targets, equipped with active AIS and radar transmitter, relaying collected data to an onshore control center via LEO Satellite communication systems. Some additional payloads can also detect and track non-cooperative targets using passive and active sonar (Multistatic sonar) and radio interferometer. The buoy has been designed to operate as fixed (moored) node in large networks, to be deployed for long time operation in deep sea and to reduce maintenance interventions. Further modular and exchangeable payloads allow the buoy to collect meteorological, oceanographic and water quality data, including pollution agents. Flexible solar panels and an emergency lithium power pack assure needed power in any condition. Reduced dimensions and technical solutions adopted in hull design consent to reach high survival ratio to sea storms (cyclones) and collisions.

The system core consists of a state of the art IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) . It is a solid state, MEMS, electronic device that measures the buoy hull dynamic parameters using a combination of 3D accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers. A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) provides real-time 3D orientation, acceleration, rate of turn and earth-magnetic field data. Once calculated the attitude and heading data, a microprocessor unit processes them to obtain a geographically oriented displacement file (HNE file). In the HNE file each sample consists of Heave, Displacement NorthSouth and Displacement EastWest measured in millimetres. Once transmitted to a shore station, data can be further processed by a zero-crossing analysis and a Fast Fourier Transform to obtain the directional sea wave statistics as well as the directional energy spectra. The local Non-Volatile Ram can store all collected data for some years, depending on the data acquisition rate.

CALYPSO CLASS devices are the result of many years of experience in the manufacture of Tsunami gauges. CALYPSO devices are deep ocean real-time tsunami monitoring systems based on sea level measurements. The systems are deployed in free-fall assured to their compact buoyancy line, after a brief survey of the sea bottom to find a flat area. Each CALYPSO unit integrates all the basic functions in one titanium case, which results in a more cost-effective system to meet the increasing market demand for highly accurate, reliable, and low cost bottom pressure recorders, operating in semi-real time. CALYPSO devices have an operating depth of 6, 000 meters and can run on independent power for 2.5 years.