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Data buoy vandalism, which is an unlawful and willful interference with moored data buoys, has been a troublesome problem for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA)/National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) and other buoy operators around the world. NDBC has three buoy networks - Weather and Ocean Platform (WxOP) program, Tropical Atmosphere/Ocean (TAO) buoy program, and the Tsunameter buoy program. In addition to the significant financial impact to NDBC's buoy programs and operations, vandalism disrupts the vital data collected and reported by moored buoys, which place lives, property, and economies in peril. Vandalism is not unique to just NDBC's buoy systems but is a national and international issue affecting both research and operational systems. This paper presents various vandalism incidents experienced by NDBC's three buoy networks. Prevention of buoy vandalism, including buoy and mooring system modifications, education and outreach, statutory penalty and enforcement, interagency efforts, and international cooperation and efforts, are also discussed., See also ADM202806. Proceedings of the Oceans 2009 MTS/IEEE Conference held in Biloxi, Mississippi on 26-29 October 2009. Copyright belongs to the Marine Technology Society., The original document contains color images.

In March 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) completed the deployment of the last of the 39-station network of deep-sea tsunameters. This effort was an integral part of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. The Tsunami Program is part of a cooperative effort to save lives and protect property through hazard assessment, warning guidance, mitigation, research capabilities, and international coordination. NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for the overall execution of the Tsunami Program. This includes operation of the U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers (TWC) as well as leadership of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. It also includes the acquisition, operations and maintenance of observation systems required in support of tsunami warning, such as NOAA's Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART(Registered)), local seismic networks, coastal, and coastal flooding detectors. NWS also supports observations and data management through the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). As part of NOAA's effort to strengthen tsunami warning capabilities, NDBC expanded the network from the original six stations to 39 stations and upgraded all stations from first-generation DART(Registered) I technology to second-generation DART(Registered) II technology. Consisting of bottom pressure recorder and a surface buoy, the tsunameters deliver sea-level data from the sea bottom to tsunami warning centers in less than three minutes. A significant capability of DART II is the two-way communications between the bottom pressure recorder and the Tsunami Warning Centers/NDBC using the Iridium Satellite LLC's commercial satellite communications system. The two-way communications allow the Tsunami Warning Centers to set stations in event mode in anticipation of possible tsunamis or retrieve the high-resolution (15-s intervals) data in one-hour blocks for detailed analysis., See also ADM002176. Presented at the MTS/IEEE Oceans 2008 Conference and Exhibition held in Quebec City, Canada on 15-18 September 2008. The original document contains color images.

In March 2005, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) completed the transition from research to operations of the second generation of the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART(TM) II). DART(TM) II systems are a part of NOAA's Tsunami Program, which is part of a cooperative effort to save lives and protect property through hazard assessment, warning guidance, mitigation, research capabilities, and international coordination. NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for the overall execution of the Tsunami Program. Among its responsibilities under the Tsunami Program, NWS acquires, operates, and maintains observation systems required in support of tsunami warning, such as DART(TM). NWS also supports observations and data management through the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). The DART(TM) II systems join NWS base stations, the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean Array, and the Coastal Marine Automated Network stations in the NOAA/NWS/NDBC Ocean Observing System of Systems (NOOSS). In the two years since being declared operational: (1) DART(TM) II systems have replaced all but three DART(TM) I systems, (2) DART(TM) network has expanded to 28 stations stretched across the Pacific and now into the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. (3) Three DART(TM) II systems have been provided to other countries to aid in their tsunami warning capability, (4) DART(TM) II systems provided estimated water-level information for the 2006 events in Tonga, Hawai'i, Kuril Islands, and Taiwan. In 2007, DART(TM) II systems provided observations for the Solomon Islands event and another Kuril Islands event. (5) DART(TM) II data availability for the standard mode observations have been more than 85% exceeding the target data availability goal of 80%., See also ADM002047. Presented at the MTS/IEEE Oceans 2007 Conference held in Vancouver, Canada on 29 September-4 October 2007. Published in the Proceedings of the MTS/IEEE Oceans 2007 Conference, 2007. The original document contains color images.