Speaker
Description
In 2014, the University of Washington (UW) completed the deployment of the Ocean Observatories Initiative Regional Cabled Array (RCA), a state-of-the-art cabled ocean observatory off the central Oregon coast. The RCA was designed, and constructed by the Applied Physics Lab-UW for a 25-year service life, in conjunction with the UW School of Oceanography. Powered from shore by an 860 km backbone of telecom-grade electro-optical cable, the RCA supports 14 seafloor instrument platforms operating at depths of 80 to 2900 m, as well as six innovative mooring-based profilers. The instrument platforms and profilers are located on the offshore littoral zone, at the base of the continental shelf, and in and around the caldera of an active undersea volcano, 480 km offshore. Approximately 140 oceanographic instruments are connected to this observatory in any given year, including nine hydrophones and 13 seismometers. The University of Washington conducts annual ROV-supported operation and maintenance cruises to service all elements of the observatory. The RCA is modular and flexible, utilizing many hybrid and electrical wet-mate connectors for efficient installation and servicing by ROV, and exhibits a number of advanced features that are highly applicable to potential upgrades of IMS hydroacoustic stations.
