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TRANSMED: a (future) network of 

low cost thermosalinometers (ferryboxes?) in the MediterraneanIsabelle TAUPIER‐LETAGE, Gilles ROUGIER, Thomas FABIANI

CNRS/UNIVERSITÉ DE LA MÉDITERRANÉEANTENNE DE TOULON, FRANCE

( itaupier@ifremer.fr )

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www.ciesm.orgwww.hymex.org

The Mediterranean: a sea to monitor

Weak climatological changes can be detected at the surface 

Increase of the sea surface temperature: 1.1°C / 27 years = 0.04°C / year(from « manual » hydrology)

From Salat et Pascual, 2002. CIESM Workshop Series #16 on: « Tracking long-term hydrological change in the Mediterranean Sea »

T anomalies

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The Mediterranean: a sea to be explored yet The Mediterranean: a sea to be explored yet 

Data missing: • central zones• southern parts (Eastern basin)

~ 2000

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In the North: seasonal variability: instability during wintertime =>Propagating meanders (up to vortex dipoles)

No continental shelf => the coastal circulation is directly influenced by the general circulation

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In the South: mesoscale variability => eddies that reach the bottom (reverse the general circulation during several months)

No continental shelf => the coastal circulation is directly influenced by the general circulation

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Jan06 May06 Sep06

Long-lived (1-3 years) propagating eddies17/03/2010 6Transmed

Chlorophyll surface

concentrations

Seasonal variability: winter mixing in central zones, up to deep convection => DWF⇒ phytoplancton bloom)

(concentrations increase from blue to red)

Images: crédit IES/JRC

7Transmed

=> Interannual variability (Dense Water Formation and chlorophyll concentrations)

Images: crédit IES/JRC Surface chlorophyll

concentrations (images: credit IES/JRC)

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ISMAR-CNR

UNIV. OFMALAGA

INSTM &COM-LOB

ANTARES & COM-LOBCOM-LOB

ICM-CSIC

IEO

LOB

In operation

Temporarily interrupted

Foreseen

PRESENT STATUS OF THE NETWORKAND INVOLVED INSTITUTES

SHOMAR &COM-LOB

NATIONAL INITIATIVE

SPECIFIC CIESM SUPPORT

OGS

HCMR

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PRESENT STATUS OF THE NETWORKPRESENT STATUS OF THE NETWORKAND INSTITUTES INVOLVED AND INSTITUTES INVOLVED 

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The DWF event of winter 2008-2009

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θ (°C)

S

σθ (kg.m-3)

~12.89

~ 38.49

> 29.12

2007 2008

~ 12.87

~ 38.48

< 29.12

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2007 2008

Direction(°)

Speed(m/s)

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Isabelle TAUPIER-LETAGE

Jan. 1998

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TRANSMED:Main objective: monitoring the surface water characteristics,at fine spatial and temporal scales,using time series of hydrological (and bio‐x parameters),along regular ferry or shipping routes,over the whole Mediterranean

Coordination: Isabelle TAUPIER‐LETAGE

ciesm17/03/2010 16Transmed

www.hymex.org

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TRANSMED:Requirements: ‐ run several routes simultaneously (network) ‐ short routes (duration ~24h) =>no crew involvement => system fully autonomous‐ southern/southeastern countries: few/no marine labs => no technical staff available => ~no maintenance‐ ship assigned to an other route with (ultra)short notice => portable system‐ support this effort on the long term (>10 years)‐ Economical and geographic context => cheap

THE solution: simple stupid LOW COST system (T S only)

ciesm

• Funding : CIESM (the Mediterranean Science Commission), Division Technique INSU(CNRS), Program HYMEX (MISTRALS, CIO Environment)

• Conception phase : late 2005

• 1st Prototype available and successfully tested on RV « Tethys 2 » in 2006

• …..

• Late 2009: Prototype update (funding for engineer’s salary: program HYMEX (MISTRALS, CIO Environment)

• Late March 2010: installation on a container ship

The module TRANSMED

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ON/OFF of the pump autonomous (data acquisition/stop in function of the speed, auto reboot after PWR failure)

START/STOP of data acquisition in function of the speed or geographical areas, automatic proc. if PWR failure

Automated full resolution data tranmission in near real time  (GSM, internet, Iridium SBDM)

No requirement for freshwater, AF solution

Basic system, interchangeable, all identical, 1 configuration standard file (but adaptations to each ship)

Cheaper installation: no through‐hull valves

Softs in open source 

From 1 system to a network

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Transmed17/03/2010 20

Schematic operating diagram

Transmed Ship specificPWRDataSeawater circuit

Automated         data transmission

(navigation+ T S) 

240VControlPC

PWRShip – 380V

Navigation data (GPS)  

Hull

Seawater discharge

Seawater inlet

Crossover pipe

Temperature   T Salinity   S

Pump

T  Temperature 

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1st prototype

Mounting frame

PWR chest Control PC chest

TS (SBE45)

pump

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Localization (view facing bulkhead / stern)

ControlPC

PWRHull

P

Crossover pipe

Ship specificSeaWater circuit

T

Sea chestSeawater inlet

Seawater discharge T

S

P PumpT TemperatureTS Thermosalinograph

ENGINE ROOM

ENGINE ROOM/upper gallery

ENGINE CONTROL ROOM

~2‐5m

~25mPWR and TS can be 

provided on a mounting frame 

(Aluminum)

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Control PC chest

TS (SBE45)

PWR chest

SBE45 bypassed for tests

T (SBE38)

pump

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TRANSMED POTENTIAL NETWORK

Dense Water Formation zoneCIESM17/03/2010 25Transmed

TS with MeteoFrance package

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Data : should be available through Coriolis (real-time and delayed mode for ARGO floats

One good reason to foster FerryBoxes: allow developping countries to easily get data « off their coasts »(status of data?..)

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Dimensions

Control=

10Kg

TS=

15Kg

Frame

Chest

1200

 mm

750 mm

350 mm

Total weight (frame + PWR + TS) : 50kg

Front Side

400 mm

400 mm

300 mm 300 mm

600 mm

200 mm

250 mm

Engine room Engine control room

200 mm

Front Side

Power=

15Kg

Clearance

300 mm

300 mm

300 mm

400 mm

300 mm

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Mounting frame can be provided on request