Collaborative Research: ITR-(ASE)+(DMC_INT): New Methods for the Exploration of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents with Multiple Autonomous Underwater Robotic Vehicles

该研究项目旨在开发和验证新的信息技术，以实现多个自主水下航行器（auv）的协调部署，从而实现对目前尚未探索的大洋中脊进行大规模海洋勘探的目标。本研究项目解决了实现这一科学目标的以下信息技术障碍：开发用于小型数据通信网络的声学数据通信技术，为多个auv提供实时低功耗声学遥测。2. 开发水声通信距离数据与其他传感器相结合的信息融合导航技术，用于水下航行器导航。开发基于传感器的喷口发现和勘探优化规划技术。预期的结果是新的AUV系统和能力，将在以下方面进行验证：在南纬2度至南纬8度的大西洋中脊未开发区域，使用多个auv来发现热液喷口。2 .进行大规模物理海洋调查和小规模深海测量，定量确定喷口大小和频率，以及玄武岩与蛇纹岩环流系统的相对频率。对新发现的热液喷口进行精细摄影调查，定量评价喷口栖息地的物种多样性和持久性以及喷口动物的生物地理学。更广泛的影响：使用多个机器人auv对深海进行大规模探索将为底栖生物科学提供强大的新工具，并使auv与系泊和永久海底观测站的密切相关研究成为可能。

This research project seeks to develop and validate novel information technology to enable the coordinated deployment of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to enable the goal of large-scale oceanographic exploration of mid-ocean ridges that presently are unexplored. This research project addresses the following information technology obstacles to this scientific objective:1. Developing acoustic data communication technology for small data communication networks providing real-time low-power acoustic telemetry for multiple AUVs. 2. Developing information-fusion navigation techniques combining acoustic communication range data and other sensors for AUV navigation.3. Developing sensor-based optimal planning techniques for vent discovery and exploration.The expected results are new AUV systems and capabilities which will be validated as follows: 1. Employing multiple AUVs to discover hydrothermal vents on the unexplored segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from 2 degrees S to 8 degrees S.2. Conducting large-scale physical oceanographic surveys and small-scale bathymetric surveys to determine quantitatively vent size and frequency, and the relative frequency of basalt vs. serpentinite circulation systems.3. Performing fine-scale photographic surveys of newly discovered hydrothermal vent fields to evaluate quantitatively species diversity and persistence in vent habitats and the biogeography of vent fauna.Broader Impact: The large-scale exploration of the deep ocean with multiple robotic AUVs will provide a powerful new tool for benthic science, and enable closely related research in AUVs for moored and permanent sea-floor observatories.