MBARI mooring "M2" redeployed

July 1, 1998

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute deployed a new mooring June 29, just outside Monterey Bay. The mooring, called "M2", was deployed at 36 41.01N, 122 24.52W, to replace the previous M2 mooring that had been lost in heavy storms this February.

New inductive temperature and salinity pods made the deployment much easier than previous deployments, eliminating the need to attach a thermistor string, according to scientist Francisco Chavez, who heads MBARI’s biological oceanography group. The mooring was deployed from the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories’ R/V Point Sur. The operation was completed in a little more than an hour.

The biological oceanography group produces a large volume of data from its mooring operations, as well as from tri-weekly cruises in Monterey Bay. It is our intent to share this data as freely as possible with the general oceanographic community so as to maximize its utility and exposure.

After deploying the new mooring, researchers aboard the R/V Point Sur proceeded to the site where the previous M2 had been lost. The mooring’s acoustic release was "released", and MBARI staff watched its coordinates as the attached flotation brought it up through the water column. It stopped at around 700 meters. We presume the sunken mooring is serving as an anchor. It is estimated the mooring is submerged at approximately 36 42.6N, 122 23.5W.

Contact: Debbie Meyer, Communications Coordinator