January 15, 2002

From January to June an array of oceanographic instruments is deployed offshore from Block Island Sound in the vicinity of Block Channel. The instruments measure currents, water properties, zooplankton distributions, and aspects of the acoustic channel as part of a scientific research project.

All instruments except two lie in an area about 7 nm by 7 nm, within which the USCG Montauk Point buoy is toward the Northwest corner. Each instrument is moored on the bottom and marked at the surface by a radar-reflecting float. Separations between instruments are about 1.5-3 nautical miles. Positions are:

LatN Deg Min LonW Deg Min

41-03.115 71-45.202

41-01.782 71-40.606

41-00.837 71-43.839

40-59.862 71-47.268

40-58.337 71-42.618

41-02.216 71-42.680

41-01.822 71-45.524

41-00.488 71-43.907

41-00.040 71-42.233

40-59.660 71-45.192

Central to the above region there is a group of three closely-spaced lighted buoys at:

40-00.603 71-43.865

41-00.630 71-43.793

41-00.576 71-43.793

About 15 nautical miles South of the above region, one instrument is at:

40-45.382 71-36.589

About 15 nautical miles East of the above region, one instrument is Southeast of Block Island at: 41-06.162 71-23.748

Point of contact:

Dan Codiga, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut

phone 860-405-9165, fax 860-405-9153, email d.codiga@uconn.edu

This deployment is part of the FRONT (Front-Resolving Observation Network with Telemetry) experiment. The study aims to improve predictions of water currents and temperature patterns. The Southern New England Fishermen's and Lobstermen's Association is cooperating on this project with scientists from the Navy, the Coast Guard, and several New England universities. Description of the program and updated information is posted on the internet at http://nopp.uconn.edu, including charts of the region of interest.