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，以协调部署多个自主水下航行器（AUV），从而实现对目前尚未勘探的大洋中脊进行大规模海洋勘探的目标。 本研究项目解决了以下信息技术障碍，这一科学目标：1。为小型数据通信网络开发声学数据通信技术，为多个AUV提供实时低功率声学遥测。 2.发展水声通信测距数据与其它传感器信息融合的水下机器人导航技术.发展以感测器为基础之最佳规划技术，以进行热液喷口发现与探勘。使用多个自动潜航器在南纬2度至8度的中大西洋海脊未勘探部分发现热液喷口。进行大规模物理海洋学调查和小规模测深调查，以定量确定喷口的大小和频率，以及玄武岩与蛇纹岩循环系统的相对频率。对新发现的热液喷口区进行精细的摄影调查，以定量评价喷口生境中的物种多样性和持久性以及喷口动物群的地理分布。

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.