Onset Weather Stations selected for UMASS Coastal Sensing Network

Aug. 18, 2009
BOURNE, MA, Aug. 18, 2009 -- Scientists with the UMass Boston Center for Coastal Environmental Sensing Networks (CESN) have developed and deployed five environmental monitoring buoys in Boston's Neponset River Watershed...

CESN buoys.

BOURNE, MA, Aug. 18, 2009 -- Scientists with the UMass Boston Center for Coastal Environmental Sensing Networks (CESN) have developed and deployed five environmental monitoring buoys in Boston's Neponset River Watershed for tracking dangerous bacteria levels and unusual environmental conditions off Boston Harbor.

The monitoring buoys were developed as part of CESN's Boston Environmental Area Coastal Observation Network (BEACON) project, a two-year program funded by the Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research. The buoys are tracking near-shore climate conditions around the harbor and measuring colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) content in area estuaries on a 24/7 basis.

Each buoy is outfitted with a web-based weather station from Cape Cod-based Onset Computer Corporation, which measures air temperature, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, barometric pressure, and other environmental parameters. The stations transmit the information to the Internet via cellular networks.

Monitoring buoy of Boston Harbor.
The collected data, which will be made available to the public on the Internet, will alert the researchers to dangerous bacteria levels in the water, rising seas, and unusual weather events that occur in the area.

"The Neponset is one of the big CDOM contributors to Boston Harbor, yet many people are unaware of the conservation issues connected to this important water system" said Franceso Peri, managing director for CESN. "By monitoring the system closely and raising public awareness, we are hoping to increase pressure on local decision makers who can help implement policies to help preserve the watershed."

The network of monitoring buoys, according to Peri, represents a test-bed for innovative sensor technologies that CESN hopes to build upon over the next decade.

"What we are building is a scalable sensor infrastructure where we can easily add more sensors around Boston Harbor for greater measurement profiles," he says. "Eventually, we are hoping to establish a sensorial "skin" over the watershed so we can sense everything that is happening there."

To learn more, visit http://www.cesn.org/projects/beacon.php.

About Onset
Onset is the world's leading supplier of data loggers. The company's HOBO data logger and weather station products are used around the world in a broad range of monitoring applications, from verifying the performance of green buildings and renewable energy systems to agricultural and coastal research. Based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Onset has sold more than one million data loggers since the company's founding in 1981. Visit Onset on the web at http://www.onsetcomp.com.

###

Sponsored Recommendations

ArmorBlock 5000: Boost Automation Efficiency

April 25, 2024
Discover the transformative benefits of leveraging a scalable On-Machine I/O to improve flexibility, enhance reliability and streamline operations.

Rising Cyber Threats and the Impact on Risk and Resiliency Operations

April 25, 2024
The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...

State of Smart Manufacturing Report Series

April 25, 2024
The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...

SmartSights WIN-911 Alarm Notification Software Enables Faster Response

March 15, 2024
Alarm notification software enables faster response for customers, keeping production on track