Multi-sensor real-time data acquisition and preprocessing at sea

A real-time underway data acquisition system developed in support of seagoing research is described. This system is implemented on a DEC VAX-11/730 computer, which runs the Unix operating system and communicates with various sensors through an IEEE-488 general purposes interface bus and slave microprocessors. The sensors interfaced in this fashion acquire navigation data (i.e. ship's heading, speed, and position) and geophysical data (gravity, magnetics, sea-beam bathymetry, and expendable bathythermograph profiles). Near real-time processing of the underway navigation and geophysical data made available to the investigator during the course of a survey are discussed.<
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