LEWES, Delaware: Shark hurricane sensors are gathering near-real-time Atlantic temperature and salinity data during a University of Delaware forecasting trial.
The project aims to improve hurricane-intensity models by filling gaps in the subsurface ocean that satellites cannot consistently measure.
Reuters reported Saturday that researchers attach conductivity, temperature and depth sensors to sharks’ dorsal fins.
The shark hurricane sensors record temperature, depth and electrical conductivity, which scientists use to calculate salinity. When a shark surfaces, its tag sends stored water-column profiles through satellite receivers.
Principal investigator Aaron Carlisle, a University of Delaware associate professor, said researchers target heat in the ocean’s mixed layer. That upper layer supplies energy that can strengthen hurricanes before landfall.
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NOAA said the three-year project received $1,176,902 to develop, test and operationalise the tagging system. The programme also seeks to quality-control shark data and feed those observations into global and regional models in real time.
A 2025 peer-reviewed study analysed historical satellite-tracking data from 11 shark species across the Atlantic and Pacific. It identified shortfin makos and blue sharks among the strongest candidates for successful satellite transmissions.
The modelling suggested that sharks could provide three times as many independent profiles as gliders at 15% of operating costs.
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Smooth hammerheads and juvenile great whites also suit North Atlantic work because they surface frequently enough to transmit data.
Field teams travel 50 to 65 kilometres offshore, where baited lines can take two to three hours to attract sharks. After catching a shark, researchers attach the tag and complete a health check within five minutes.
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Corrodible materials let the attachment fall away over time, while institutional animal-care oversight guides handling.
Caroline Wiernicki, a University of Delaware doctoral candidate, said successful trials could help communities from North Carolina to Massachusetts.
MARACOOS describes the effort as a long-term programme still working through technical hurdles.
