Development of a Remotely Operated Vehicle for Under Sea Ice Research in Polar Environments

在世界各地的海洋生境中，对水肺潜水深度（40米以下）和无浪涌深度（200米以下）之间的区域研究甚少。在冰层覆盖的海面下，波浪运动极小，甚至不存在，ROV可以进入40至200米之间的区域。极地海洋研究具有稳定的海冰平台的好处，用于分级和部署ROV等仪器，但这需要一个直径为1米的孔，对于大多数ROV来说。该提案开发了一种可通过15厘米的孔部署的反坦克导弹，该孔可用手持式动力头钻孔，需要最少的后勤支持和技术专长。新的研究中心提供了进入尚未研究的地区的机会，扩大了我们的科学范围和解决新问题的能力。我们将开发、测试和修改该系统，同时完成几个相互重叠和相互依赖的科学目标，包括（1）探索和记录世界上最极端的沿海栖息地之一的生态演替速率和模式，（2）调查两个独特的海底栖息地和超越水肺潜水深度的群落。（40-170米），这对大多数研究人员来说几乎是完全未知的，并将单个照片组合成高分辨率的海底图像;（3）测试进行声纳测绘和制作麦默多站周围整个海底高分辨率连续测深图的协议。该系统将被建造成模块;这允许灵活地改变该系统的能力，以适应不同的任务。有些组件可以购买现成的（例如VideoRay高分辨率和低亮度摄像机），但可能需要开发一些定制的集成软件。电力通过双导体系绳从水面提供;双向高速数据也在系绳上调制，提供84 mbs的数据和无限的潜水时间。上部控制装置由一台笔记本电脑和飞行员操纵杆组成。许多控制功能和显示屏可以通过互联网访问，用于教育演示和互动。 两名研究生将全面参与该项目。其他几位南极科学家表示对在其研究中利用这一工具有浓厚兴趣，项目完成后将向一批用户提供这一工具。

In marine habitats worldwide, the zone between scuba-diving depths (to 40 m) and surge-free depths (below 200 m) has been poorly studied. Under ice-covered seas, wave motion is minimal to nonexistent, and the zone between 40 and 200 m is accessible to ROVs. Polar marine research has the benefit of stable sea ice platforms for staging and deploying instruments like ROVs, but this requires a hole that is, fo rmost ROVs, a meter in diameter. This proposal develops an ROV that can be deployed through a 15 cm hole that can be drilled with a hand-held power head, requiring minimal logistical support and technical expertise. The new ROV provides access to regions that remain unstudied, expanding our scientific reach and ability to address new questions. We will develop, test, and modify the ROV while accomplishing several overlapping and interdependent science objectives, including (1) exploration and documentation of rates and patterns of ecological succession from one of the most extreme coastal habitats in the world, (2) a survey of two unique benthic habitats and communities beyond scuba diving depths (at 40-170 m), which are almost completely unknown to most researchers and assembly of individual photographs into high-resolution images of the seafloor and (3) testing of protocols for conducting sonar mapping and creating high resolution continuous bathymetric maps of the entire seafloor around McMurdo Station. The ROV will be constructed as modules; this allows flexibility to change the ROV capabilities to suit different missions. Some components can be purchased off the shelf (e.g. VideoRay high resolution and low light video cameras), but may require development of some custom integration software. Power is provided from the surface via a 2 conductor tether; bi-directional high speed data is modulated on the tether as well, providing 84 mbs of data and unlimited dive duration. The topside controls consist of a laptop computer and joystick for the pilot. Many of the control functions and display screens could be accessed via the Internet for educational demonstrations and interactions. Two graduate students will participate fully in the project. Several other Antarctic scientists have indicated a strong interest in utilizing this tool in their research and it will be available to a pool of users on completion of the project.