SeaKeepers Takes 90 Million Scientific
Measurements in 2008
Thanks to its growing fleet of 55-plus systems, The International SeaKeepers Society tool approximately 90 million individual scientific measurements in 2008 alone.
With another 17 systems in varying stages of installation SeaKeepers is poised to significantly expand its position as one of the world’s most prominent providers of marine weather data, climatological observations and scientific measurements. In terms of cost, SeaKeepers provides this critical data at an extraordinarily low cost of less than two cents per measurement!!
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Most SeaKeepers data is transmitted via satellite every three hours. These 3-hour summaries, or Transmitted Data Records (TDR’s), are sent via satellite to the SeaKeepers server. Upon receipt, the data messages undergo preliminary quality control, then are encoded and distributed over the Global Telecommunication System, a network managed by the World Meteorological Organization, that channels data to the national weather services of 156 member countries and to several international organizations that track surface oceanographic data. These latter organizations include the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in the US, the Marine Environmental Data Service in Canada and the Global Oceans Surface Underway Data pilot project in France. These centers archive and make the data available to the world’s scientists and climatologists. Each TDR typically represents 180 actual one-minute data samples. These detailed, high resolution data sets are manually recovered from ships during service calls.
The need for open-ocean weather monitoring data is apparent; some bodies of water have few, if any, permanent monitoring stations and just one SeaKeepers system traveling across the ocean significantly increases the amount of reported weather data. This in turn affects the accuracy of the weather forecast across the world. Even in areas with weather monitoring stations, the mobile SeaKeeper 1000™ systems delivers data unavailable to static systems, further enhancing weather forecasts for those on land and at sea. Any ship or shoreline downwind of a SeaKeepers vessel is getting better weather forecasts because of this data.
Additionally, our data enables comprehensive investigation of how ocean and atmospheric variables have changed over time, which enables scientists to better understand climate change and predict trends and future outcomes. Many of the parameters measured by the SeaKeeper 1000™ including ocean pH or acidity measurements, are just now emerging as vital indicators of ocean health. Our database offers scientists the opportunity to track changes over time.
At 90 million measurements at less than two cents apiece, SeaKeepers mission of collecting cost effective, highly accurate data is more important than ever. SeaKeepers believes passionately that the best way to protect the sea, and ourselves, is by providing the best possible information to the scientists and resource managers who ultimately will provide ideas of how to ensure the health, diversity and sustainability of the sea in the years ahead. 
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