The Vector-Averaging Wind Recorder (VAWR) is a system designed by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to make surface meteorological measurements. The standard WHOI Vector Averaging Wind Recorder (VAWR) of the late 1980s through early 1990s was mounted on a toroid buoy (Dean and Beardsley, 1988). In addition to wind speed and direction, the VAWR could also be configured to record water temperature and conductivity data from sensors mounted at 1 meter depth on the mooring bridle of the buoy (Trask et al., 1995).
References:
Dean, JP and RC Beardsley. 1988. A vector-averaging wind recorder (VWAR) system for surface meteorological measurements in CODE (Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment). Published by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole Mass. Series: CODE technical report no. 44., WHOI-88-20, WHOI Technical report (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution). 74 pp.
Trask, Richard P.; Way, Bryan S.; Ostrom, William M.; Allsup, Geoffrey P.; Weller, Robert A. 1995. Arabian Sea mixed layer dynamics experiment : mooring deployment cruise report R/V Thomas Thompson cruise number 40, 11 October-25 October 1994. (WHOI DLA URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1912/482)