SGER: High Resolution Seafloor Water Column Mapping With an AUV: ABE Surveys to Define Cable Route Selection and Science Node Access Routes on the Northern Juan de Fuca Ridge

（Yoerger提案0549580）2003年10月，加拿大创新基金会（CFI）宣布向维多利亚大学（U维克）领导的海王星-加拿大联合会（NCC）提供6240万加元。该裁决要求在胡安·德富卡板块的北方部分装备一个海底光电电缆网络，为一系列科学主要和次要节点服务。这些节点将为开放的海洋环境（海底，海底下和上覆海洋）提供独特的电力和带宽基础设施，以追求对所有感兴趣系统的动态行为的下一代科学调查。初步勘测人员建议完成敷设海王星电缆的路线勘测工作。这条电缆的铺设将特别具有挑战性，因为科学节点安置的主要目标区域之一是火山活跃的海底扩张中心，这将是有线观测节点授权的研究重点。这将是有史以来第一次部署这样的系统，至关重要的是，要获得最好的信息，以确保将主电缆铺设到主节点站点，并将次级电缆铺设到地震仪等异常仪器。（德莱尼和凯利，PI的）将进行一个多资金，在加拿大NEPTUNE选定的火山活跃区进行为期34天的研究航行，作为第一阶段区域电缆观测站的高度优先节点位置执行工作。胡安·德富卡海脊的奋进段是许多科学团体相当感兴趣的地点，包括NSF RIDGE 2K计划，UW集团的凯克基金会研究工作和加拿大海王星规划工作。但是，活跃的脊顶代表了一个独特的危险环境电缆铺设。作为今年9月研究工作的一部分，R/V T。G.汤普森将被部署到该地区一个多月的时间，船上的杰森号将作为主要的深潜资产。在适当的支持下，自主海底探测器（ABE）是一种经过验证的、可编程的、无系留的深海测绘工具，可以在船上与Jason并行作业，使这两种资产以几乎同时的模式运作，以完成预定的科学活动和必要的电缆勘测。这个海底观测站将使实时数据流和互动实验能够被放置在海洋中最重要的生物和地质地点之一。这次测绘的巡航是公众广泛宣传的目标，因此，数据收集和ABE本身将使许多人能够看到这一重要海底部分的细节。

(Yoerger Proposal 0549580)The Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced an award of Can$ 62.4 M to the NEPTUNE-Canada Consortium (NCC) led by University of Victoria (U Vic) in October 2003. The award called for the northern portion of the Juan De Fuca Plate to be outfitted with a network of submarine electro-optical cables to serve a set of scientific primary and secondary nodes. These nodes will provide a unique electrical power and bandwidth infrastructure to the open ocean environment (seafloor, sub seafloor and overlying ocean) for the pursuit of next generation science inquiries into the dynamic behavior of all systems of interest. The PIs propose to complete the route surveys for laying of the Neptune cable. The laying of this cable will be especially challenging because one of the primary target areas for science node emplacement is a volcanically active submarine spreading center that will be the focus of the research empowered by the cabled observatory node. This will be the first ever deployment of such a system and it is crucial that the best possible information be obtained to confidently lay the main cable to the primary node site and secondary cables to outlier instruments like seismometers.Opportunities and IssuesIn September of 2005, the UW Hydrothermal Research Group (Delaney and Kelley, PI's) will be conducting a multiply-funded, 34-day research cruise in the volcanically active area selected by NEPTUNE Canada as a high priority node location of the Stage 1 Regional Cable Observatory (RCO) Implementation effort. The Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge is the locus of considerable interest for many scientific groups including the NSF RIDGE2K Program, the Keck Foundation Research effort of the UW Group, and the Canadian NEPTUNE Planning efforts. But the active ridge-crest represents a uniquely hazardous environment for cable laying. As part of the research effort this September, the R/V T. G. Thompson will be deployed to the area for more than a month with the ROV Jason on board as the principal deep submergence asset. With the appropriate support, the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE), a proven, programmable, untethered deep-sea mapping vehicle could be used on board in parallel operations with Jason so that the two assets operate in a mostly simultaneous mode to accomplish both the scheduled science activities and the requisite cable survey.Broader Impacts:This work is taking advantage of a unique opportunity to complete the seafloor mapping required prior to the laying of the NEPTUNE cable at Endeavour Ridge. This seafloor observing site will enable real-time data streams and interactive experiments to be placed in one of the most biologically and geologically important sites in the ocean. The cruise on which this mapping will occur is the target of intense public outreach and as such, the data collection and ABE itself will enable the details of this important section of ocean floor to be seen by many.