Advances in Sea Surface Layer Temperature Measurements with Fast Responding Thermistor Arrays on Drifting Buoys

A precise and accurate ocean temperature measurement system is essential for better understanding and knowledge of the spatial and temporal variability of thermal stratification of the upper-ocean layers is fundamental. The National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai has indigenously developed a novel negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor based sensor array with RS232 digital output for drifting buoy (Pradyu) (DB) wherein, it is mainly used in ocean observation applications. The DB is built with Indian satellite (INSAT) for real time data telemetry.

The NTC sensing element is used in developing the temperature sensor for the measurement of sea surface layer temperature. The Steinhart–Hart equation and coefficients are applied on each sampling to zero down the error components involved in temperature measurements which corresponds to the nonlinear functionality of the NTC element. In-house developed SST sensor and sensor array are calibrated and extensively tested in laboratory conditions. The results of the SST and sensor array laboratory calibrations and field validations are briefly presented here with significant data sets collected in the Bay of Bengal warm pool regions.