Teledyne Webb Research (TWR) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of scientific instruments for oceanographic research and monitoring. Teledyne Webb Research specialises in three areas of ocean instrumentation: neutrally buoyant, autonomous drifters and profilers; autonomous underwater gliding vehicles; and moored underwater sound sources.
APEX autonomous drifting sensor platform
APEX® (Autonomous Profiling Explorer) is an autonomous drifting sensor platform that uses a variable buoyancy engine to move from the surface to user-defined drift and profile depths. TWR’s APEX profiling float makes up over two-thirds of the floats deployed for the worldwide Argo program, the largest oceanographic experiment ever undertaken. Over 7,000 APEX floats have been shipped to date.
APEX can be configured with a variety of sensors to measure conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide, and nutrients. The collected data is transmitted to shore via either the Argos or Iridium networks. TWR employs a team of dedicated APEX engineers who are constantly working on integrating customer-specific sensors and challenging the state of science in profiling floats.
With active lifetimes that can exceed five years, programmable schedules, user defined park and profile settings and active depth control, APEX is one of the most efficient basin scale oceanographic sensors in use. APEX also has the flexibility needed to handle new operational requirements, such as integration of passive acoustic sensors to monitor everything from seismic activity to beaked whales.
APEX profiling float for both military and civil ocean and weather numerical models
That is primarily why developer Douglas Webb set out to commercialise the profiling float. He and his colleges realised that even with the combined resources of every nation on the planet there would never be enough ships to measure the ocean with sufficient resolution in time and geospatial density to improve our understanding of the planet. Born from the original ALACE and PALACE floats, APEX profiling floats are the low cost, highly reliable, robust sensor platform needed to continue to grow our understanding of the complex physical phenomena that are driving our oceans, modifying our weather, and impacting our climate.
- Provides autonomous profiles from depths to 2,000m
- Provided ready to deploy, with automated self-test software
- Nominal 150 ascents, four years; routinely achieve longer life
- Automatic depth control: isobaric, isopycnal or isothermal tracking
- Seasonally variable sampling modes
- Automatic pressure activation
- Ice avoidance algorithms
- First profile returned within 24 hours of launch
Remote sensing AUVs
Slocum® G2 Glider is a versatile remote sensing AUV for ocean research and monitoring. Buoyancy driven, the long range and duration capabilities of Slocum gliders make them ideally suited for water column observation at a regional scale. Missions and data transmission downloads can be programmed by the user before the start of a mission or in-situ. The relatively low cost for operation and the ability to command multiple vehicles with minimal personnel make the Slocum glider perfect for fleet applications.
- Ocean Observation Initiative (OOI) – Coastal Glider Contract
- Ocean Observation Initiative (OOI) – Open Ocean Glider Contract
- US Navy – Littoral Battlespace Sensing – Glider (LBS-G) Contract
Slocum Gliders offer:
- Modular design with interchangeable science bays
- Standard and custom sensor integration
- Deep ocean capabilities
- World-class customer support
