The AUTOSUB project-autonomous underwater vehicles for data collection in the deep ocean

The author describes the two missions which provide the conceptual goals for the AUTOSUB project. The first mission addresses the requirements of climate research programmes, for which data are needed in the initialization and verification of the global models presently under development. It embodies the concept of the Deep Ocean Long Path Hydrographic Instrument (DOLPHIN), which will navigate its way across the oceans, conducting a continuous series of hydrographic measurements. DOLPHIN will undulate between surface and ocean bed, surfacing at intervals in order to receive information on its position from the GPS-Navstar satellites and to report on the status of its internal systems. The second mission is directed at the extension of acoustic remote sensing techniques in the exploration of the deep ocean floor. The GLORIA towed side scan sonar produces images of a 50 km wide swath of ocean bed centred on the ship's track. The aim of the Deep Ocean Geological and Geophysical Instrumented Explorer (DOGGIE) is to enable features identified in a GLORIA primary survey to be investigated at much finer spatial resolution. A representative sensor payload would include multifrequency side scan sonars, a sub-bottom profiler and a magnetometer.