Collaborative Research: Automated large scale bathymetric mapping in complex environments

绘制海底地图是许多海洋学研究的第一步。配备多波束声纳系统的自主水下航行器（auv）在海洋科学和探索领域掀起了一场革命，因为这些平台既稳定又高效；它们已被用于绘制沙波纹、海山和海冰等一系列应用。然而，从AUV数据中制作精确的大比尺地图仍然是一项高度专业化的劳动密集型活动。该项目的目标是开发计算机程序，以便从AUV数据中快速有效地生成水深图。这项工作的主要影响是，它将为整个海洋学社区提供使用auv绘制海底地图的显著改进工具。

Mapping the seafloor is a basic first step for much oceanographic research. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) equipped with multibeam sonar systems have launched a revolution in ocean science and exploration because these platforms a both stable and efficient; they have been used for a host of applications from mapping sand ripples and seamounts to sea ice. However, producing accurate large scale maps from the AUV data is still a highly expert labor intensive activity. The objective of this project is to develop computer program to enable rapis and efficient production of bathymetric maps from AUV data. The chief broader impact of this work is that it will provide dramatically improved tools for mapping the seafloor using AUVs for the entire oceanographic community.