A surface contact drifter for measurement of near-surface salinity, temperature and sea state

Ocean Surface Salinity: The importance of ocean surface salinity in terms of the hydro-logical cycle and meridional overturning circulation has long been recognized. Understanding these processes is important for characterizing climate and climate variability (Boyer et al., 2007). Sea surface salinity (SSS) appears to be a particularly sensitive indicator of changes in the water cycle (Curry et al., 2003; Durack and Wijffels, 2010).