Coastal Surface Mooring Developments for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI)

Abstract

Multiple mooring components have been developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) that represent significant advancements in mooring technology. The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Coastal Surface Moorings are a unique coalescence of these elements into a robust and capable electromechanical mooring design. This paper describes innovative design elements in three key areas that are used operationally on OOI moorings: (1) components at the interface between buoy base and mooring riser, (2) electro-mechanical mooring riser components, and (3) an integrated seafloor anchor and instrument frame. These elements work together as a system that not only provides the necessary mechanical integrity for the mooring, but also provides mounting points for instrumentation and a reliable electrical pathway from the surface to the seafloor.