Figure 3. The island of Mallorca and two wayppoints, indicated by the (red) circles, separated by 1 Nm

Although gliders can be equipped with various measurement devices, we are mainly interested in salinity and temperature with respect to depth and time, as local changes in these parameters can identify the presence of convection. In Spring 2006, we did a few tests with one of our gliders, off the coast of Mallorca. We left a glider for about four days, cycling between two waypoints, see Figure 3.

Typical results obtained with the glider are shown in Figures 4a-c. These figures show the parameters temperature, salinity and density as obtained during the downward tracks. As these data were obtained during a mission to test the glider in April along a path of 1 Nm, no features of convection are present in the data set. In that aspect, there is no point in analysing the data shown. However, it does give a clear picture of in what way (resolution) data will be available during the February 2007 measurement campaign.

Figure 4a. Temperature

Figure 4b. Salinity

Figure 4c. Density