AWAC - Acoustic Wave and Current Stations (DOT-026)

Short term acoustic wave and current data is collected using Nortek AWAC instruments. The AWAC instruments are deployed on a fixed mooring on the sea bed. The instruments are delayed mode systems where the data is stored in memory of the instrument as the data is collected. The data is retrieved from the instruments when the instruments are recovered from the water at the end of the deployment. The deployment period is determined by the battery life and memory capacity of the instrument. The raw binary data files downloaded from the instruments are post processed through specialist software to produce files of wave, current, temperature, water level and instrument status data. The post-process files are then archived without being analysed by DoT staff.