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Air-Sea Flux Buoy

The goal of the Air-Sea Flux Buoy (ASFB) project is to construct a research buoy to help measure the turbulent wind boundary layer in the Gulf of Maine. The buoy is part of a larger, ongoing project funded by the Department of Energy (DoE). The results will help improve our understanding of offshore wind turbines and wind resources in northern New England. The buoy itself is a refurbished UNH research buoy equipped with required measurement instruments. The instruments will provide data on temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, gas concentration, three-dimensional wind speed, and millimeter-accurate positioning. The system is also equipped with a datalogger and cell modem to transmit the data in real-time. The buoy is powered by six solar panels and two 12-volt solar batteries. Additionally, a wind vane has been added to orient the necessary instruments out of the wake of the buoy itself to record more accurate data. The project involves buoy refurbishment, buoyancy testing, power system design, instrument mounting design, CAD modeling, CFD flow simulation, mooring design, construction, siting, and eventually deployment. The project started in September 2023 and will be completed in May 2024. The larger DoE project will continue thereafter including potential maintenance, data analysis, and additions to the ASFB. When completed, the buoy will be deployed off the New Hampshire coast by the UNH R/V Gulf Challenger and used alongside a meteorological drone to provide data for the development of offshore wind farms. The Air-Sea Flux Buoy will be deployed upon completion in late May 2024.

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