| PhD Seminar

Name of the Speaker: Mr. Biswajit Haldar (EE21D205)
Guide: Dr. Boby George
Co-Guide: Dr. M.a.atmanand
Venue: ESB-244 (Seminar Hall)
Online meeting link: https://meet.google.com/cts-nfvd-thy
Date/Time: 5th December 2025 (Friday), 12noon
Title: Ocean Current Measurement using a Sensor-Integrated Mooring Line

Abstract :

Ocean current measurements are essential for understanding seawater movement and its wide-ranging environmental impacts. Conventional Doppler-based single-point current meters (SPCMs), commonly deployed on moored data buoy systems to measure surface current speed and direction, face significant challenges due to biofouling, high cost, and elevated power requirements. This study examines an alternative approach for estimating surface ocean currents by utilizing an integrated load cell mounted on the mooring line of a data buoy. The proposed technique overcomes the limitations of SPCMs by employing a low-cost, low-power sensor whose performance is inherently resistant to biofouling. The method was first validated through finite element analysis. Subsequently, mooring load cell data from buoys deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal were analyzed and compared with reference SPCM measurements. A strong correlation was observed between the two, with correlation coefficients reaching up to 0.95 during Cyclone Amphan. For the system tested, a threshold current of 0.24 m/s was identified as necessary for reliable current sensing through mooring load response. These results demonstrate the potential of load-cell-based sensing as an effective and robust alternative for surface current estimation, and the detailed methodology and findings will be presented in the seminar.