Development of a GPS Buoy for Ocean Surface Monitoring: Initial Results

Authors: Anuar Mohd Salleh, Mohd Effendi Daud

Abstract:

This study presents a kinematic positioning approach that uses a global positioning system (GPS) buoy for precise ocean surface monitoring. The GPS buoy data from the two experiments are processed using an accurate, medium-range differential kinematic technique. In each case, the data from a nearby coastal site are collected at a high rate (1 Hz) for more than 24 hours, and measurements are conducted in neighboring tidal stations to verify the estimated sea surface heights. The GPS buoy kinematic coordinates are estimated using epoch-wise pre-elimination and a backward substitution algorithm. Test results show that centimeterlevel accuracy can be successfully achieved in determining sea surface height using the proposed technique. The centimeter-level agreement between the two methods also suggests the possibility of using this inexpensive and more flexible GPS buoy equipment to enhance (or even replace) current tidal gauge stations.

Keywords: Global positioning system, kinematic GPS, sea surface height, GPS buoy, tide gauge.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1109493

References:

[1] Ann, O. C., “Coastal Erosion Management in Malaysia”, Proceeding 13th Annual Seminar of Malaysian Society of Marine Science, pp. 1-11, 1996.
[2] Born, G. H., M. E. Parke, P. Axelrad, K. L. Gold, J. Johnson, K.W. Key, D. G.Kubitschek, and E. J. Christensen, “Calibration of the TOPEX altimeter using a GPS buoy”, J. Geophys. Res., 99, pp. 24517–24526, 1994.
[3] Colombo, O., “Long-distance kinematic GPS”, Chapter 13, in GPS for Geodesy (2nd edition), edited by P. J. G. Teunissen and A. Kleusberg, pp. 537–567, Springer, 1996.
[4] Ghazali, N. H., “Depletion of Mangrove in Malaysian Coastal Zone – Causes, Impacts and Attempts of Restoration”, J. Institution of Engineers, 60, no. 1, 1999.
[5] Gonzalez, F. I., E. N. Bernard, H. B. Milburn, and H. O. Mofjeld, “Early detection and real-time reporting of deep ocean tsunamis", Abstracts of IUGG99 in Birmingham, B.127, 1999.
[6] Hino, R., T. Kanazawa, S. Sakai, Y. Tanioka, and K. Suyehiro, “Tsunamis from an off-Sanriku and the Papua New Guinea earthquakes observed by ocean bottom tsunami measurement”, Programme and Abstracts The Seismological Society of Japan, 1998, Fall Meeting P23, 1998 (in Japanese).
[7] Kato, T., Y. Terada, K. Ito, R. Hattori, T. Abe, T. Miyake, S.Koshimura, and T. Nagai, “Tsunami due to the 2004 September 5th off the Kii peninsula earthquake Japan, recorded by a new GPS buoy”, Earth Planets Space, 57, 297–301, 2005.
[8] Kato, T., Y. Terada, M. Kinoshita, H. Isshiki, and A. Yokoyama, “GPS Tsunami-kei no kaihatsu”, Gekkan Kaiyo, Special Vol. 15, 38–42, 1998 (in Japanese).
[9] Kelecy, T. M., G. H. Born, M. E. Parke, and C. Rocken, “Precise mean sealevel measurements using the Global Positioning System”, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 7951–7959, 1994.
[10] Nagai, T., “Okiai harou kansoku network ni yoru tsunami hakei kansoku”, Gekkan Kaiyo, Special Vol. 15, 1998 (in Japanese).
[11] Tsujii, T., M. Harigae, and M. Murata, “The development of kinematic GPS software, KINGS, and its application to observations of the crustal movements in the Izu-islands area”, J. Geod. Soc. Japan, 43(2), 91–105, 1997 (in Japanese with English abstract).