A round 1.4m yellow buoy has been deployed in the eastern part of the main lagoon of Lizard Island.The buoy is configured as a sensor-float with a Campbell Scientific logger, spread-spectrum radio and 2.4/5 GHz 802.11 wireless for communicating with the base station (located at the workshop near the Research Station) a surface mounted (60cm under the water surface) thermistor and an inductive modem to support a range of inductive sensors, initially this will be a SeaBird SBE39 measuring temperature and pressure (depth).As of August 2010 the inductive sensors are located along a 30m cable that runs north into the main lagoon with a SBE39 located at the end of the sensor run.The unit will be serviced every six months and will be used in the future for attaching new sets of sensors.
The buoy is one of four buoys and two relay-poles being deployed on Lizard Island as part of the GBROOS Project. The design looks to measure the water within the lagoon as well as water impinging onto the reef and potentially any upwelling or movement of warm water that may cause thermal stress such as coral bleaching. The buoys initially have a Campbell Scientific loggers powered off four 5W solar panels, a wind turbine and one thermistor located at the base of the buoy around 60cm below the water line. The buoys use a Campbell Scientific spread-spectrum radio as well as 802.11 Wi-Fi to talk back to Relay Pole 2 and then to Replay-Pole 1 and then to the Base Station.
