North Pacific Data Buoy overview from JCOMMOPS
The objective of the North Pacific Data Buoy Advisory Panel (NPDBAP) is to maintain an observational data buoy program north of 30°N in the North Pacific Ocean and marginal seas.
Moored buoys and drifters, such as the Surface Velocity Program buoy (SVP) measure many environmental parameters like surface winds, waves, sea-level atmospheric pressures, surface ocean currents and sea-surface water temperatures. This data provides valuable information to meteorologists and oceanographers, resulting in improved accuracy of weather forecasts worldwide. Normally drifters only measure the surface current speed and direction, but with barometers added to the drifter (SVP/B), additional measurements of atmospheric pressure are possible. The buoys transmit their data in real-time via various operational satellite communication systems such as GOES, ARGOS and Iridium.
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