Instrument: Wildlife Computers Mk10 Pop-up Archival Tag (PAT)

Instrument Short Name: MK10 PAT
Instrument Description:

The Pop-up Archival Transmitting (Mk10-PAT) tag, manufactured by Wildlife Computers, is a combination of archival and Argos satellite technology. It is designed to track the large-scale movements and behavior of fish and other animals which do not spend enough time at the surface to allow the use of real-time Argos satellite tags. The PAT can be configured to transmit time-at-depth and time-at-temperature histograms, depth-temperature profiles, and/or light-level curves. The histogram duration (1 to 24 hours) and bin ranges can also be configured. PAT archives depth, temperature, and light-level data while being towed by the animal. At a user-specified date and time, the PAT actively corrodes the pin to which the tether is attached, thus releasing the PAT from the animal. The PAT then floats to the surface and transmits summarized information via the Argos system. Argos also uses the transmitted messages to provide the position of the tag at the time of release.

PI supplied instrument name: MK10 PAT
Dataset-specific description

Mk10-PAT tags (Wildlife Computers, Redmond, WA) were programmed to sample at 0.5 Hz or 1 Hz. Tags deployed in Monterey Bay (CCS-1through CCS-6) were programmed to transmit time series data (75 s intervals = 0.01333 Hz) to the Argos satellite system. Tags deployed in the Gulf of California (GOC-1 through GOC-6) were physically recovered. Mk10 PAT tags measure depth from 0 to 2000 m with a resolution of 0.5 m and temperature from 0 to +40 degrees C with a resolution of 0.05 degree C. The tags were used as supplied by the manufacturer without additional calibration.