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Currently, marine research vessels are
very expensive to operate, and are
unable to provide daily observations,
while commercially available autonomous
measurements systems can be prohibitively
expensive or unsuitable for local
conditions. Earth observation data,
coupled with measurements from critically
located buoys, can offer very low-cost
data in near real time across many
different ecosystems.
The project’s ultimate aim is to build
Earth observation-based information
systems to provide products
for ecosystem monitoring and
characterisation, ultimately facilitating
a predictive capability. The new buoys
will be used both to provide real-time data
on algal blooms, and to develop and
verify new satellite techniques, which will
then allow satellite data records from 10
years or longer to be used to characterise
change in South African coastal and
inland ecosystems.
As part of the CSIR’s Safe Water Earth Observation Systems project, researchers developed a low-cost, low-weight pencil-buoy that
is easy and fast to deploy. It will also soon feature new low-cost radiometric sensors, also developed by the CSIR. These new buoys
will be used to provide real-time data on algal blooms. They will also verify new satellite techniques, which will then allow satellite
data records from 10 years or longer to be used to characterise change in South African coastal and inland ecosystems.
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PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS