Drifters equipped with GPS receivers have been first deployed in the Black Sea

Two SVP-BT-GPS drifters equipped with GPS receivers were first deployed in the Black Sea on 3-rd July 2006. The goal of this pilot experiment has been an investigation of the ways to increase spatial-time resolution to study mesoscale processes in the sea. The buoys were equipped with developed in 2006 MT305A terminal (Argos PTT plus integrated GPS receiver module). The terminal can provide both kinds of locations: via Argos as well as via GPS. The RMS errors of observations for Argos were up to 330m, for GPS up to 10m. The figure below shows typical fragments of track for the drifter ID47621. It is obvious that in contrast with Argos locations the GPS locations provide better recovering of drifter track. It is helpful, for example, when high-frequency oscillations of sea surface layer should be investigated. Track of the SVP-BT-GPS drifter ID47621 using Argos and GPS data. Interval between marks is 10 days