Glider Mission History
The OGS glider team was created in spring 2007, when a shallow water SLOCUM glider (manufactured by Webb Research Corporation) was purchased. This glider was named TRIESTE-1 after the famous bathyscaphe Trieste designed by Auguste Piccard in the 1950s. After having performed different missions, in December 2009 communication with TRIESTE-1 was lost in the area South of Cyprus and it was never recovered!
In 2010, the OGS glider group conducted another mission in the Ligurian Sea using a French glider thanks to the EGO collaboration.
In spring 2012, a SeaGlider manufactured by iRobot (named Amerigo) was acquired mainly to monitor deep water convection in the South Adriatic Sea (up to 1000 m).
In October 2013, two new SLOCUM gliders, Galileo and Leonardo, designed as shallow water instruments, joined the OGS fleet for operations in the north and central Adriatic Sea.
A new Seaglider Kongsberg, named Marco, was purchased in September 2018 by the MAOS group for operations in the Mediterranean and Arctic Sea.
DEEP-IMPACT
Seaglider Diana
The Seaglider sg269 Diana was deployed for the first time in the Ionian Sea transect off the Greek coasts.
Convex 26_269
Seaglider Diana
The new Seaglider sg269 Diana was deployed for the first time in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Bari – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit
Convex 26_270
Seaglider Venere
The new Seaglider sg270 Venere was deployed for the first time in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Bari – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit
ITINERIS-SA
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum glider unit403 Leonardo was operated in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The purpose of the experiment was to study the pre-convection in the area. The glider covered the transect Molfetta – Dubrovnik. It was piloted to perform an Adriatic longitudinal transect in the area of the south-Adriatic pit.
GLOB
Seaglider Marco
The Seaglider sg661 Marco was deployed in the Antarctic area as part of the Signature project to study water masses and dynamics in the East Ross Sea.
Convex 25
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
BIOTREC
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum 403 Leonardo was deployed outside of the Gulf of Naples. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the biological conditions.
SIGNATURE 24
Seaglider Marco
The Seaglider sg661 Marco was deployed in the Antarctic area as part of the Signature project to study water masses and dynamics in the East Ross Sea.
Convex 24
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
PreConvex 24
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
Convex 23
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
Convex 22
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
Convex 21
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
Convex 20
Seaglider Amerigo
As part of South Adriatic monitoring annual program, a glider was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea from June 12 to July 2, 2020. The mission had the aim to assess the hydrographical characteristics present in June in the area of the South Adriatic pit after the winter deep convection.
This glider mission is part of the 2019-2020 Saildrone Atlantic to Mediterranean (ATL2MED) mission, in which two autonomous wind-powered vehicles sailed from Cabo Verde to Trieste, Italy, demonstrating how fit-for-purpose technology can be used to increase ocean observation.
During the mission Autonomous Surface and Subsurface Vehicles Work Together to Observe CO2 Exchange in the Adriatic Sea. The saildrones will attempt to join a OGS-led glider study in the Southern Adriatic close to the E2M3A station, providing surface observations to complement the sub-surface glider observations.
ESTRO 20
Seaglider Marco
The Seaglider sg661 Marco was deployed in the Antarctic area as part of the Estro project to study water masses and dynamics in the East Ross Sea (for additional info <a href=”https://www.inogs.it/it/content/23-gennaio-il-glider-di-ogs-missione-antartide”>https://www.inogs.it/it/content/23-gennaio-il-glider-di-ogs-missione-antartide</a>
PreConvex 20
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo is deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection condition in the area of the South-Adriatic pit.
Melmas 19
Seaglider Marco
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo was involved in the second part of MELMAS experiment (Monitoring of the Eastern Levantine with Mobile Autonomous Systems) in the East Mediterranean Sea, to monitor the area in front of Israeli coast. The project focused on the interaction between the open and coastal water masses and to study mesoscale feature present in the area and detached from the coastal current in The winter period.
Convex 19
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum 403 Leonardo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection mechanism in the area.
PreConvex 19
Seaglider Marco
The Seaglider sg661 Marco will be deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the pre-convection condition in the area.
Melmas 18-2
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo was involved in the second part of MELMAS experiment (Monitoring of the Eastern Levantine with Mobile Autonomous Systems) in the East Mediterranean Sea, to monitor the area in front of Israeli coast. The project focused on the interaction between the open and coastal water masses and to study mesoscale feature present in the area and detached from the coastal current in the spring period.
Convex 18 
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum 403 Leonardo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the convection mechanism in the area.
PreConvex 18
Slocum 402 Galileo
The Slocum 402 Galileo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the pre-convection condition in the area.
Convex 17
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum 403 Leonardo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta – Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the post-convection condition in the area.
Cinel 17
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider sg554 Amerigo was involved in the CINEL (Circulation and water mass properties In the North-Eastern Levantine) experiment in the East Mediterranean. (For additional info <a href=”http://nettuno.ogs.trieste.it/sire/cinel/info.html”>http://nettuno.ogs.trieste.it/sire/cinel/info.html</a>)
PreConvex 17
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum glider unit403 Leonardo was operated in the Southern Adriatic Sea along the Molfetta - Dubrovnik transect. The purpose of the experiment was to monitor the pre-convection condition in the area.
Cinel 16
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider Amerigo was involved in the CINEL (Circulation and water mass properties In the North-Eastern Levantine) experiment in the East Mediterranean. The glider was recovered South of Cyprus after a 48-day mission. For additional info (<a href="http://nettuno.ogs.trieste.it/sire/cinel/info.html">http://nettuno.ogs.trieste.it/sire/cinel/info.html</a>)
Convex 16
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum 403 Leonardo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The purpose of the experiment was to study the post convection and the effect of the deep water formation in
the North Adriatic Sea. The glider covered part of the transect Molfetta – Dubrovnik and an area close of the Italian slope to inquire
about the dense water cascading. It was piloted down to almost 1000m deep in the area of the south-Adriatic pit.
PreConvex 16
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum glider unit403 Leonardo was operated in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The purpose of the experiment was to study the pre-convection in the area. The glider covered the transect Molfetta – Dubrovnik. It was piloted to perform an Adriatic longitudinal transect in the area of the south-Adriatic pit.
Quarnero 2015
Slocum 403 Leonardo
The Slocum shallow glider unit403 Leonardo was operated in a mission within the North Adriatic Experiment 2015 in the Kvarner area. About 700 yos between 20 and 45 meters were performed collecting high frequency data of pressure, temperature, conductivity, oxygen, chlorophyll, CDOM and backscatter.
Convex 14
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider Amerigo was operated for 3 weeks in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The purpose of the experiment was to study the winter deep water convection in the area. The glider at first covered the transect Molfetta – Dubrovnik and then it was piloted to perform an Adriatic longitudinal transect, down to almost 1000m deep in the area of the South-Adriatic pit. At the end of the mission a butterfly sampling was performed close to the E2-M3A mooring.
Coconet
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider Amerigo was deployed on May 15 and recovered on May 21, 2013. The area sampled during the mission covered the South Adriatic pit and the slope close to the Italian coast. In this experiment the OGS pilot team had the opportunity to trim the newly acquired glider fine-tuning the navigation parameters.
Convex 13
Seaglider Amerigo
The Seaglider Amerigo was deployed in the Southern Adriatic Sea after the Teledyne tests. The mission last less then a day due to the WetLab fluorimeter connector leakage and some glider trim issues.
LIDEX 10
Slocum Tenuse
The French Slocum glider Tenuse, was operated to explore and study the dynamics of the southeastern Ligurian and Corsica Channel in summer 2010 as part of the LIDEX10 experiment, whose general objective was to improve the understanding of turbulent transport and dispersion in the ocean, more specifically to study the dispersion in a coastal frontal zone due to mixing by meso- and submesoscale structures
EYE - Cyprus 09
Slocum Trieste 1
The slocum glider ‘Trieste 1’ was implied as part of an international project in the Levantine basin focused on a permanent cyclonic gyre south of Cyprus. The aim of the experiment was to produce an accurate 3-dimensional survey of this structure is supposed to create a physical barrier, which disconnects the “inside gyre” ecosystem dynamic to the “outside gyre” one. The mission last almost a month and was performed together with other 4 gliders: 3 deep gliders (sampling to 1000m) and an other shallow (sampling to 200m).gyre” one. The mission last almost a month and was performed together with other 4 gliders: 3 deep gliders (sampling to 1000m) and an other shallow (sampling to 200m).
Tyrrmount 09
Slocum Trieste 1
The slocum glider 'Trieste 1' was operated around the Vercelli seamount in the Tyrrhenian basin (Western Mediterranean Sea). The aim of the experiment was to study the effect on the hydrodynamics of the Vercelli seamount rising from the ocean seafloor (more then 1000 m) to 55 m below the surface.
MREA 08 part 2
Slocum Trieste 1
The slocum glider ‘Trieste 1’ was deployed in the Ligurian Sea during the MREA08 Experiment. The main goal of the experiment was to collect oceanographic data to calibrate and validate the MREA (Marine Environmental Rapid Assessment) model system for environmental applications (i.e.: contaminant dispersal) in open sea and coastal areas. The glider experienced some technical problems (rudder damage, leakage) and performed only a limited number of profiles.
MREA 08 part 1
Slocum Trieste 1
The slocum glider ‘Trieste 1’ was deployed in the Ligurian Sea during the MREA08 Experiment. The main goal of the experiment was to collect oceanographic data to calibrate and validate the MREA (Marine Environmental Rapid Assessment) model system for environmental applications (i.e.: contaminant dispersal) in open sea and coastal areas. The glider experienced some technical problems (rudder damage, leakage) and performed only a limited number of profiles.
MREA 07
Slocum Trieste 1
The MREA07 mission initially involves sampling along the transect between (25 nautical miles) the buoy SAMA-MAMBO (44°02’N - 9°50’E) and the buoy ODAS (43°47,36’N - 9°9,80’E) (25 nautical miles).
The experiment lasted 3 days and, the glider had to remain underwater for 5 hours.