National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
United States Department of Commerce

Sensor Specifications

Sensor Specifications

Sensors used on OCS moorings are listed in the following table, along with their specifications. References, where available, are indicated by [#] in the Reference column. The corresponding documentation is listed at the bottom of the page. Sensors that have not been evaluated by the PMEL project offices show the manufacturer's specifications, indicated by [M] in the Reference column.


Instrument Measurement Resolution Range Accuracy Reference

Gill Windsonic

Gill Windsonic

Wind Speed
(ultrasonic)

 0.01 m s-1 0-60 m s-1 ±2% [M]
Wind Direction 1° 0-359° ±3°

Sparton SP3004D

Sparton SP3004D

Instrument Heading
(magnetic compass for Gill Wind Direction)

 0.1° 0-359° 1.0° [M]

RotronicMP101

Rotronic MP101

Air Temperature
(Pt-100 RTD - resistance temperature device)

 0.01°C KEO: 4 - 32°C
Papa: -1 - 20°C
(0-40°C)		 ±0.2°C [1]

Relative Humidity

(capacitance)

 0.4 %RH realtime
0.02 %RH delay mode		 45-95 %RH
(0-100 %RH)		 ±2.7 %RH

RMY 50203-34

RMYoung 50203-34

Rainfall

(capacitance)

 0.2 mm hr-1 0-50 mm ±0.4 mm hr-1
on 10 min filtered data		 [2]

Eppley PSP

Eppley Laboratory PSP

Downwelling Shortwave Radiation

(pyranometer)

 0.4 W m-2

200-1000 W m-2
(0-1600 W m-2)

 ±1% [M]

Eppley PIR

Eppley Laboratory PIR

Downwelling Longwave Radiation

(pyrgeometer)

 0.1 W m-2
0.03°C		 200 W m-2
at 20°C (thermopile only)		 ±1% [M]
Nominal calibration values used for case and dome thermistors

Paros 9000

Paroscientific
MET1-2

 Barometric Pressure
(Papa)
(transducer)		 0.1hPa

800 - 1100 hPa

 ±0.01%
of reading		 [M]

GE RPT350

GE 'Druck' RPT350

Barometric Pressure
(KEO, ARC)
(transducer)		 0.1hPa 750 - 1150 hPa ±0.01%
of full scale		 [M]

SBE37IMP

Seabird SBE37 MicroCAT

 Sea Water Temperature
(thermistor)		 0.001°C 1-31°C
(-5-35°C)

 

 ±0.003°C [3]

Sea Water Salinity
(conductivity cell)

0.01 mS m-1 3-6 S m-1 (0-6 S m-1) ±0.02 psu [3]
Water Pressure
(transducer)		 0.002% of range Full depth of inst. 0.1% of range [M]

SBE39IM

Seabird SBE39

 Sea Water Temperature
(thermistor)		 ±0.0001°C -5-35°C ±0.002°C [M]
Water Pressure
(transducer)		 0.002% of range Full depth of inst. 0.1% of range

Aquadopp IM300

Nortek Aquadopp

Ocean Current (single depth)

(acoustic doppler)

 0.1 cm s-1 ±5 m s-1 1.0% of velocity ± 0.5 cm s-1 [M]

RDI Sentinel

RDI Sentinel (300kHz)

ADCP Ocean Current (profile)

(acoustic doppler)

 0.1 cm s-1 ±5 m s-1 ±0.5 cm s-1 [4] [5]

Images courtesy of instrument manufacturers

Historic Sensors

Instrument Measurement Resolution Range Accuracy Reference

Sontek

Sontek Argonaut

Ocean Current
(acoustic doppler, 1.5 MHz)

 0.1 cm s-1 ±6 m s-1 ±1% of velocity ±0.5 cm s-1 [M]
Temperature 0.01°C Unspecified ±0.1°C

DVS

Teledyne/RDI DVS

Ocean Current
(up to 5 depths)

(acoustic doppler, 2457.6 kHz)

 0.1 cm s-1 ±6 m s-1 ±1% of velocity ±0.5 cm s-1 [M]

RMY wind

RMY Wind (05103)

Wind Speed
(anemometer)

 0.1 m s-1 0 - 100 m s-1 ±0.3 m s-1 [M]
Wind Direction 1° 0 - 360° ±3°

Handar 425

Handar 425

Wind Speed
(ultrasonic, 100 kHz)

 0.1 m s-1 0 - 65 m s-1 ±0.135 m s-1 or ±3%, whichever is greater [M]
Wind Direction 1° 0 - 359° ±2°

SBE51-IMP

Seabird SBE51

 Sea Water Temperature
(thermistor)		 0.001°C

 

1-35°C

 

 ±0.005°C [M]

Sea Water Salinity
(conductivity cell)

0.01 mS m-1 0-7 S m-1 ±0.02 psu [M]

PMEL ATLAS Module

Sea Water Temperature
(Thermistor)

0.001°C 0 - 40°C ±0.02°C

[6] [7]

Salinity

(Sea Bird cell with PMEL electronics)

 0.002 S m-1 3 - 6 S m-1 estimated ±0.02psu, under evaluation per TAO web site

Vaisala WXT520

Vaisala WXT510/520

 Sonic Wind Speed 0.1 m s-1 0 - 60 m s-1 ±0.3 m s-1 or 3%, whichever is greater, ±5% for 36 - 60 m s-1 [M]
Wind Direction 1° 0 - 360° ±3°
Air Temperature 0.1°C -52 - 60°C ±0.3°C
Relative Humidity 0.1% 0 - 100% ±3% below 90%, ±5% above 90%
Rainfall 0.1 mm h-1 0 - 200 mm h-1 5%
Barometric Pressure 0.1 hPa 600 - 1100 hPa ±0.5 hPa in 0 - 30°C range

Images courtesy of instrument manufacturers

References

[1] Lake, B.J., S.M. Noor, H.P. Freitag, and M.J. McPhaden, 2003: Calibration procedures and instrumental accuracy estimates of ATLAS air temperature and relative humidity measurements. NOAA Tech. Memo. OAR PMEL-123, NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA, 23 pp

[2] Serra, Y.L., P.A'Hearn, H.P. Freitag, and M.J. McPhaden, 2001: ATLAS self-siphoning rain gauge error estimates. J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech.,18, 1989-2002.

[3] Freitag, H.P., M.E. McCarty, C. Nosse, R. Lukas, M.J. McPhaden, and M.F. Cronin, 1999: COARE Seacat data: Calibrations and quality control procedures. NOAA Tech. Memo. ERL PMEL-115, 89 pp.

[4] Plimpton, P.E., H.P. Freitag, and M.J. McPhaden, 1995: Correcting moored ADCP data for fish-bias errors at 0°,110°W and 0°,140°W from 1990 to 1993. NOAA Tech. Memo. ERL PMEL-107, 49 pp.

[5] Plimpton, P.E., H.P. Freitag, and M.J. McPhaden, 2004: Processing of subsurface ADCP data in the equatorial Pacific. NOAA Tech. Memo OAR PMEL-125, NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA. 41pp.

[6] A'Hearn, P.N., H.P. Freitag, and M.J. McPhaden, 2002: ATLAS module temperature bias due to solar heating. NOAA Tech. Memo OAR PMEL-121, NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA, 24 pp.

[7] Freitag, H.P., T.A. Sawatzky, K.B. Ronnholm, and M.J. McPhaden, 2005: Calibration procedures and instrumental accuracy estimates of next generation ATLAS water temperature and pressure measurements. NOAA Tech. Memo. OAR PMEL-128, NTIS: PB2008-101764, NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA, 22 pp.