Shipboard data acquisition, processing and analysis: an integrated software approach

Recent advancements in microprocessor technology have spawned an improved class of instruments for ocean surveys and research. These instruments provide a high rate of data acquisition that generates large volumes of digital data. The design of an operational sampling system must coordinate the flow, processing, and archiving of data from multiple data sources and disparate data formats. In this paper the authors present an overview of such a system, an integrated system for data acquisition, processing, and analysis of ocean optics measurements made from ships of the Naval Oceanographic Office. Real-time visualization and quality control of data are provided by a PC-based program. This integrated approach provides the user the ability to access specific ocean processes in near-real time.