CIRIMS 1 was installed on the flying bridge of the R/V Ronald H. Brown in May of 2003 for a year-long deployment. During previous deployments on the Brown, CIRIMS was mounted on a 10 meter tower on the bow of the ship providing the unit a clear view of the sea surface unobstructed by the ship's wake. With the removal of the bow tower, it was decided that the CIRIMS would be mounted on the flying bridge, approximately midship. This presented a challenge as the ship's wake fans out considerably at this location. In order for the CIRIMS unit to have a clear view of the sea, free from the ship's wake, it was necessary to construct a platform for the unit to be mounted upon to give it additional height. It was also necessary to incline the CIRIMS unit back 5 degrees so the field of view would clear the wake.
The completed CIRIMS installation.
View from the 02 deck of the CIRIMS unit on the flying bridge.
Step-by-step Installation
APL mechanical engineers, Mike Welch and Fran Olson, assemble the platform on the starboard side of the flying bridge.
The completed platform.
Fran and Mike lift the CIRIMS onto the platform.
Mike calculates the incident angle needed to clear the wake.
APL research aide, Trina Litchendorf, aligns the internal kt-11 radiometer.
The CIRIMS cables were fed into the bridge via this portal. Here Mike attaches the mount for the gooseneck.
Fran and Mike pass the cables through the ceiling of the bridge to the chartroom where the electronics chassis is mounted.
The CIRIMS electronics chassis mounted above the chart table in the chartroom.