Instrument: Vector Measuring Current Meter

The Vector Measuring Current Meter (VMCM) is an instrument for obtaining ocean current data. It is often deployed on moorings for long periods of time (years). The VMCM employs biaxial propellers and has undergone extensive tests and calibrations (Weller and Davis 1980). It is a well-characterized mechanical current meter and has been used for benchmarking other current meters (e.g., Dickey et al. 1998a). The two sets of orthogonal cosine response propeller sensors directly measure components of horizontal velocity, and direction is determined with a flux-gate compass (estimated resolution of 1.4 and accuracy of 5) to allow rotation of components into geographical coordinates.

References:
Dickey, TD, AJ Plueddemann, and RA Weller, 1998a: Current and water property measurements in the coastal ocean. The Sea, KH Brink and AR Robinson, Eds., Vol. 10, John Wiley and Sons, 367-398.

Emery, WJ and Thomson, RE. 2004. Data Analysis Methods in Physical Oceanography. 638pp.

Weller, R. A., and R. E. Davis, 1980: A vector measuring current meter. Deep-Sea Res., 27A, 565-582.

Gilboy, TP, TD Dickey, DE Sigurdson, X. Yu, and D. Manov. 2000. An Intercomparison of Current Measurements Using a Vector Measuring Current Meter, an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and a Recently Developed Acoustic Current Meter