Two Coastal Ocean Dynamics Application Radar (CODAR) systems underwent installation and testing between Sep. 28 and Oct. 2, 2009. The radars are located respectively at Luye and Xiaoyeliu. The transmitting and receiving antennas were installed and connected to the respective mainframe rooms. Antenna pattern measurement tests and flow velocity vector synthesization tests were also carried out.

Despite harsh weather and road conditions, factory technicians, staff from domestic professional instrument companies, and scholars managed to collaboratively complete the installation of the two radars on Oct. 2. The antenna at Xiaoyeliu were temporarily removed due to the potential damage of in-coming Typhoon Parma on the same day, but reinstalled three days later for the flow velocity vector synthesization tests (see image). Discussions afterwards suggest that further adjustments in the radars' parameters be made. Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) foresees a briefing in mid-December to report on the primary test results. The briefing is thus scheduled so that the academia may incorporate the use of CODAR data in their National Science Council research projects, to be submitted by the end of the year.

To ensure the navigational safety of research vessels at Xingda Harbor, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has commissioned a study to evaluate the port's waterway and berth area water depth. Vasty Engineering Consultants was commissioned in July, 2009 to conduct the study on the TORI headquarters-to-be. The study will monitor the port's water depths and landforms, clarify the influence of monsoons and typhoons on sedimentation, and provide maintenance estimations.

Three bouts of evaluation activities have been scheduled for both the inner harbor and the open sea. The first, to be performed in spring after the winter monsoon subsides, taking waves and tides into consideration, should highlight the primary movements of the drift sands. The second, to take place after the departure of a typhoon potential of causing the greatest impact on the distribution of drift sands in the port, will bring light into the possible effects of a single typhoon. The third, scheduled for October, shall conclude the degree of drift-sand changes caused by monsoons and typhoons over the course of one year. TORI will be setting up its headquarters at Xingda Harbor, located in Kaohsiung, with a branch elsewhere. This has been decided with official approval from the National Science Council (NSC). The mid-term report of this study has been handed in by the end of August, 2009. A final version of the harbor's evaluation report will be submitted by Nov. 25 of the same year.

Complete with the two-month second-phase testing, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has new data to share from three sets of ocean-bottom seismometers retrieved in August, 2009. The waveforms received were pronounced clear and stable and will be made available to the public at the Taiwan Earthquake Center (TEC) seismic database. Also to gain understanding into the seismogenic mechanism in southern Taiwan, TORI has granted research fellow Ban-Yuan Kuo of the Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, the use of three sets of ocean-bottom seismometers. Kuo will be sailing to the sea area north of Batam on Vessel OR1 to deploy five sets of the instrument in mid-September. Collection of the monitors is scheduled for July, 2010.

In order to expand the range of operation of its new research vessels, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) will equip its new vessels with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that can dive as deep as 3,000 m. The new design will allow scientists to remotely perform tasks and collect samples in deep seas. The ROVs will be upgraded from currently available models to meet marine research requirements. Navigation positioning and sampling instruments will be attached to facilitate the undertaking of general assignments, including precise core sampling, photography/video-recording, hydrological data collection, underwater observation platform set-up, cabling, plugging/unplugging, capturing of sea creatures, etc.. TORI is now in the process of compiling a specifications proposal and consulting expert users' opinions. Project tendering and default ROV procurement are expected to respectively conclude by the end of 2009 and 2010. Basin testing and specification upgrades are scheduled for 2011, while 2012 to see the ROV integration with research vessels and the establishment of an operation and maintenance team.

The research vessel ROVs require remodeling as readily available designs are developed mainly for underwater construction purposes in the petroleum industry. To satisfy the demand for precise positioning in research analysis as well as other requirements, the new ROVs will be equipped with the Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), the Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) system, the Inertial Navigation System (INS), a high-definition underwater recorder, and the appropriate frame structure to carry the weight of research instruments. Extra capacity for further expansion and upgrades will be incorporated into the design, which will include an open communications system, strengthened power monitoring and management system, at least three more optical fibers available for high-speed broadband communication, various databases, etc.. TORI has referenced the ROV experiences of major marine science research institutes in the US, Europe, Japan, and Korea. Visits have been made to Woods Hole and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in the US, as well as to the Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute for a first-hand observation of how the ROVs function.

Marine Core Repository and Laboratory (MCRL), previously under the jurisdiction of National Science Council, held its first consultation meeting on Jul. 22, 2009 after merging with Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) this year. As many as 15 scholars and experts from the industry, government, and academia joined to advise on the laboratory's positioning and services. Suggestions generated from this meeting include: 1. advising TORI to quickly determine the position of MCRL within the organization so as to facilitate the drafting of a MCRL roadmap; 2. taking into consideration the flow or interconnection between lab instruments in designing laboratory layout, while reserving extra space or land area for future expansions; 3. hiring additional PhD research fellows for planning, management, database set-up, and research; 4. employing researchers or technicians for handling requests for core data services; 5. working out regulations and standards for services and fees; 6. establishing a team of technicians devoted exclusively to basic core analysis as well as accompanying researchers on large core collection missions.

Experts at the meeting represent organizations including Taiwan's top universities, CPC's Exploration & Production Research Institute, Academia Sinica's Institute of Earth Sciences and Research Center for Environmental Changes, and government agency Central Geological Survey. The founding purpose of MCRL to offer a complete and integrated foundation for domestic marine core research, facilitating the collection and preservation of marine core samples retrieved from domestic expeditions. The lab expects to provide other services, such as basic sample analysis, sediment description, colorimeter measurement, as well as core image capturing and digitization. Services and regulations will be designed to best serve the needs of both the public and private sectors.

Jong Shyn Shipbuilding has completed the test report of Taiwan Ocean Research Institute's (TORI's) 2,700 ton research vessel in August, 2009. General arrangement drawings are projected to see completion by the end of October this year. Jong Shyn Shipbuilding promptly embarked on the project after snatching the construction contract in December, 2008 under the most advantageous bid system. The vessel is built according to the contractor's proposed design, based on the regulations and drawings of the United Ship Design & Development Center. Jong Shyn has also made an agreement with German company ATLAS, to have research instruments, to be procured by Jong Shyn under the contract, for integration. Ship model testing for the vessel took place in August, 2009 at the Hamburg Ship Model Basin (HSVA). Conditioned with a total thrust horsepower of 1831KW, the ship was able to attain a highest speed of over13 knots, and 8.6 knots on silent mode. A choice has been made on the power-generating equipment. TORI is currently studying suggestions on the vessel's general arrangement to ensure maximum usability. Drawings of the general layout are expected to be completed by the end of October, 2009.