E1 Autonomous Buoy

As part of the NERC Oceans 2025 programme in 2007, PML were awarded a capital grant to build autonomous buoys for the long-term stations at L4 and E1. Originally both L4 and E1 were populated by the same design design buoy constructed by Hippo Marine with systems design and integration carried out by PML. However, during 2012 the opportunity arose to collaborate with the UK Met Office who were rolling out a new hull design to replace their 30 year old K-series. At E1 the hull, moorings, meteorological and wave sensors (these integrated using a Watchman Axis logging unit) are now provided by the Met Office and the in-water sensors by PML. The in-water measurements include: sea surface temperature, salinity, oxygen, turbidity, fluorescence (WetLabs WQM)); CDOM fluorescence (WetLabs); nitrate (Satlantic Suna) and a PAR sensor (Satlantic). Both systems report to shore hourly using Iridium Short Data Burst format. The E1 buoy normally reports current position using AIS. The latest in-field data are shown in the table below.

Notice

E1 Databuoy

Latest Buoy Position

Latest E1 data readings (50°02.6'N; 4°22.5'W)

Buoy automatic position given as DD.dd where:

DD degrees, dd decimal degrees

Latitude:	50.044 °	Longitude:	-4.373 °
Wind direction:	338.3 °	Sea temperature:	11.2 °C
Wind speed:	6.6 ms^-1	Salinity:	-10.00
Pressure:	1023 mb	Oxygen:	-999.9 μM
PAR:	-10 W m^-2	Chlorophyll:	-10.00 mg m^-3
Air temperature:	13.1 °C	Turbidity:	-10.00 NTU
Sig. wave height:	0.6 m	Max. wave height:	1.00 m
Peak wave period:	3.5 s	Wave Direction	317 °

Last Reading taken at: 20.00 GMT on 19/04/2024

* Readings of -10 indicate missing data

Click here to download preliminary data. Final, quality controlled data are available on request. The meteorological parameters for this buoy are also available from the UK Met Office