Status of OTEC environmental monitoring program
Oceanographic studies in support of assessment and technical operations for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) have been conducted in the South Atlantic Plant-ship region and at benchmark sites off Puerto Rico, the Gulf of Mexico and off Hawaii. Data have been obtained from current meter arrays, hydrocasts, and net tows using essentially the same type of equipment, sample depths, sample frequencies, techniques and analyses to provide a uniform basis of comparison among the sites. In addition, particulate, trace metal, and radiologic studies off St. Croix, Virgin Islands and primary production bioassay experiments off Hawaii were performed to validate methods and a bottom assessment program is being developed in cooperation with the US Geological Survey for potential incorporation into the uniform sampling program. Environmental monitoring operations at the OTEC-1 site off Hawaii have been transferred to EG and G and the Hawaiian pre-site occupation program has been shifted to the Kahe Point area off the west coast of Oahu. Validated data from the OTEC cruises are on file with National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). These data are being used with the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) developed physical models to jointly test potential ecologic models for use in pilot plant assessments. Marine geologic/oceanographic base maps and data compilation sheets were prepared for the Hawaiian and Puerto Rico-Virgin Island regions. Such sheets form a planning base for evaluation of regional characteristics and to identify areas for detailed surveys.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 7066246
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-10887; CONF-800633-4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140400 -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
520100 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
520500 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BASELINE ECOLOGY
CARIBBEAN SEA
CONVERSION
CURRENTS
ECOLOGY
ENERGY CONVERSION
GREATER ANTILLES
GULF OF MEXICO
HAWAII
ISLANDS
LESSER ANTILLES
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRIENTS
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
OCEANOGRAPHY
OFFSHORE SITES
POWER PLANTS
PUERTO RICO
SAMPLING
SEAS
SITE SURVEYS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SURFACE WATERS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
USA
VIRGIN ISLANDS
WATER CURRENTS
WESTERN REGION