JAMSTEC

New Moored Buoy Network TRITON

BUOY_PHOTO What is TRITON buoy ?

  1. The TRITON (Triangle Trans-Ocean buoy network) is a series of buoys for measuring surface meteorology and upper ocean.

  2. The buoys will be deployed by JAMSTEC in collaboration with many countries in and around the Pacific Ocean as part of international climate research programs.

  3. The purpose is for scientific research on warm water in the equatorial ocean affecting world climate change.
What do the buoys measure ?

  1. The buoys measure wind, air temperature, humidity, precipitation, short wave radiation, water temperature, salinity and current. The water temperature and will be measured down to 750m depth.

  2. The data will be transmitted via satellite near real time and provided to researchers in the world.
The buoy data will be utilized for daily weather forecasts in the world.

  1. In the tropics, there are very few location or ships regularly report the weather. The buoy data will be utilized for daily weather firecasts and improve the skill of numerical midels such as Typhoon occurrence prediction. Thus those buoys will also help the safety of ship's operation.
Where will the buoys be deployed ?

  1. JAMSTEC will deploy 18 buoys in the tropical Pacific and 2 buoys in the mid latitude in the north Pacific.

  2. In the A-area USA has deployed Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoys, JAMSTEC will replace those since 1999.
    The TRITON buoys have been deployed at the following locations.
    Nominal Exact Locations

    Deployed date
    8N,156E
    7-59.41N,156-00.47E
    22 Feb. 2001
    5N,156E
    5-01.33N,155-58.25E
    24 Feb. 2001
    2N,156E
    2-02.32N,156-01.14E
    26 Feb. 2001
    0N,156E
    0-01.08N,156-02.56E
    2 Mar. 2001
    2S,156E
    2-01.02S,155-57.25E
    5 Mar. 2001
    5S,156E
    5-01.95S,156-01.53E
    7 Mar. 2001
    5N,147E
    4-58.70N,147-01.03E
    15 Mar. 2001
    2N,147E
    2-06.04N,146-56.94E
    14 Mar. 2001
    0N,147E
    0-03.72N,147-00.71E
    27 Oct.2000
    2N,138E
    1-59.90N,138-06.21E
    1 Nov.2000
    0N,138E
    0-01.91N,137-52.96E
    30 Oct.2000
BUOY_MAP

BUOY_FIG The buoys are securely anchored.

  1. The buoys are securely anchored by steel cable and weight.

  2. The buoys are under a great deal of tension and, if lifted out of water, are dangerous to you and your crew.
The buoy data will help fishing activities.

  1. Sea surface temperature is important to decide fishing fields. The buoy data will be provided to weather centers in the world in real time. The weather centers, in turn, produce charts of sea surface temperature and distribute them via radio-fax broadcasts to fishing boats.
Advise to fishermen

  1. Do keep sharp lookout for the buoys at sea; they should be visible on radar with radar reflector and can be avoided.
  2. Don't moor to the buoys.

  3. Don't deploy fishing gear around or near to the buoys.

  4. If your gear tangles with the buoy, Do not damage or cut the buoy mooring line.

  5. If you find any damage on buoys, please report to the TRITON Office of JAMSTEC.
For more information

    TRITON Office, Research Support Department
      Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC)
      2-15 Natsushima Yokosuka 237 Japan