Ocean Technology Development Tank

West Coast

Drawing showing a cross section of the test tank that is two stories in height

Cross section of the Ocean Technology Development Test Tank at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center laboratory in La Jolla, CA. Credit:Gould Evans.

The Ocean Technology Development Tank, located in the La Jolla Laboratory of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, is a 2-million-liter seawater tank that allows scientists to test new survey technologies in a controlled environment. The tank is of sufficient size (10 meters wide by 10 meters long by 20 meters deep) to calibrate and test a wide variety of instruments with minimal boundary effects. Water conditions can be controlled over a broad range of temperatures and salinities and the tank can accommodate living marine animals. Examples of experiments performed in the tank include:

Calibration and performance testing of transducer and hydrophone arrays
Testing of underwater cameras, strobe and laser systems
Testing of gliders, autonomous underwater vehicles, floats, drifters, tags and sampling nets
Characterization of the behavior of marine animals and their response to remote sensors

Supporting NOAA’s Investment in New Observing Systems and Advanced Survey Technologies

NOAA is experiencing an unprecedented demand for observational data to support resource and ecosystem assessments. There is a need for more surveys, addressing more species and more aspects of their ecosystems, on finer spatial and temporal scales than ever before. The supply of available survey vessel time has not increased in proportion, while the cost of using these vessels has increased dramatically. Reliance on traditional sampling methods is no longer viable and new technologies must be incorporated into our observation systems in order to meet the demand for data. In addition to improved shipboard sensors, alternative platforms such as instrumented buoys, autonomous vehicles and smart tags need to be tested and deployed. Development of these technologies will ultimately lead to more efficient use of available ship time.

Various advanced survey technologies: a ship, various acoustics equipment and remotely operated vehicles.

In order to advance its marine ecosystem surveys over the next decades, NOAA has invested in several promising technologies: active acoustics, passive acoustics, optical technology and deployment platforms. These advanced technologies will allow NOAA to conduct its mission more efficiently in terms of time and cost, less invasively to marine animals and their habitat, and in a non-lethal manner for fisheries and protected species surveys. The development and application of these technologies is rapidly escalating as electronic and optic components become smaller, more capable and less expensive.

The Ocean Technology Development Tank fulfills an essential role by allowing agency scientists, instrument developers from other government agencies, academic institutions, and industry the ability to test and calibrate these new technologies in controlled environments

Pioneering Work at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Advanced Survey Technologies

Our scientists have developed and used advanced survey technologies in diverse locations using a variety of advanced technologies. Examples of current applications of advanced technologies by our scientists include:

Passive acoustic surveys of marine mammals using towed arrays and drifter buoys
Estimating abundances of over 20+ species of rockfishes over high-relief habitats without capturing or killing the fish
Surveying broad areas of the Southern Ocean to estimate the distribution and distribution of Antarctic krill
Detecting and classifying marine mammals and fish using the sounds they emit
Describing migratory behavior and habitat use by marine mammals, turtles, pinnipeds, penguins and fish using autonomous instruments attached to the animal
Enumerating salmon swimming upstream
Describing the prey field exploited by baleen whales downstream from coastal upwelling centers along the North American coast
Investigating fish response to passing survey vessels and traditional sampling techniques such as trawl nets
Using novel platforms for deploying optical and acoustic sensors, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remote underwater vehicles (ROVs), inexpensive instrumented buoys, small boats, gliders, untethered profilers, drifters and floats

Forty-three Fathom Bank and clusters of rockfish visualized from active acoustic data. Insert: species composition and size distribution of rockfish determined from remotely operated vehicle stereo cameras. Photo: NOAA Fisheries

Essential Features of the Ocean Technology Development Test Tank

Map of the test tank showing how long, wide, and deep the tank is.

Essential features include:

Size: 10m wide, 20m long and 10m deep
Capacity: 2,000,000 liters
Temperature range: 2° - 25°C
Salinity range: 0 to 35 ppt
Two movable gantries that provide a working platform near the water surface
Two overhead cranes with three hoists that provide the ability to maneuver objects in three-dimensions.
Approximately 350 m² of useable deck space surrounding the Tank on Level 2 (surface level)
Nine observation ports on two decks
Removable trusses and insulated panels covering the water surface
Vibration and seismic isolation
Water conditioned using a combination of sand filters, ultra-violet radiation, and ozone treatment
Ability to accommodate live animals
12-hour re-circulation cycle