TRIAXUS and Sea‑Bird Scientific integration
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Assessing the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms on pelagic ecosystems requires high-resolution data collected across depth, distance, and biological layers.
⌛But its real value depends on maintaining comparability over time.
For the Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Research at the University of Hamburg, MacArtney delivered a towed TRIAXUS ROTV system, configured for multi-parameter ecosystem surveys from RV Heincke.
The setup combines a pumped Sea-Bird Scientific SBE49 FastCAT CTD with integrated optical and bio-optical sensors, all deployed on the TRIAXUS platform to capture hydrographic data during undulating tow operations.
✅ Turner Designs C6 fluorometer for chlorophyll‑a, phycocyanin and phycoerythrin measurements
✅ AADI 4330F oxygen optode
✅ TriOS RAMSES radiometer
✅ Additional survey sensors supporting data acquisition and onboard workflows (e.g. Kongsberg EK-60 echosounder, Seascan video plankton recorder and EIVA navigation systems)
The pump-controlled, TC-ducted flow feature minimises salinity spiking, and its 16 Hz sampling provides very high spatial resolution of oceanographic structures and gradients. It flushes water through the conductivity cell at a constant rate, independent of the CTD’s motion, improving measurement stability during profiling. Stable conductivity readings and consistent alignment between temperature and salinity are maintained, even as the vehicle moves through shifting layers.
This matters during dynamic surveys, where changes in speed, angle, and water structure can introduce noise and reduce comparability between profiles.
The delivered solution comprises a towing and handling system, including a MERMAC winch, electro-optical tow cable, connector interfaces, and onboard data integration and training.
Each part is designed to maintain a consistent link between deployment, acquisition, and post-processing, so today’s measurements align directly with historic datasets from the same project, dating back to 2009. The setup is supported by Sea-Bird Scientific technology with a long, practice-based track record in oceanographic monitoring.
Longstanding cooperation between MacArtney and Sea-Bird Scientific underpins tailored sensor configurations for specific vessel setups, survey scopes, and continuity requirements.
How do you approach long-term consistency in your ocean data?
