Transcript Document

Autonomous Underwater Gliders for Longterm Ocean Observation
Robotics Technology - Extending Our Reach, Expanding Our Knowledge
GLIDERS IN ACTION
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S.O. COOL
Florida
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The well sampled Rutgers University Coastal Ocean Observation
Lab’s LEO site, off the southern coast of New Jersey, provides a
historical database for validating physical and optical measurements
made by the SLOCUM gliders.
In partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL,
RUCOOL has expanded as the Sarasota Operations COOL
Project. Gliders have become essential in red-tide research off the
West Florida Shelf and are being used to sample water
characteristics and bring in real-time data.
Depth (m)
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Our goal is to develop a intelligent
fleet of coastal Slocum Gliders that
provide maps of the physics, biooptics, and biology on continental
shelves. Our hope is that these
systems can become an operational
asset for the proposed Ocean.US
Integrated Ocean Observing System
(IOOS) and the NSF Ocean
Observing Initiative (OOI).
R.U. COOL
New Jersey
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2
4
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Temperature:
16.8
16.4
Depth (m)
.5
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
17.2
Temperature:
1.0
1.5 2.0 2.5
Distance (km)
3.0
3.5
4.0
Bb(470nm)
.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Distance (km)
3.0
3.5
16.0
0.010
Bb(470nm)
0.008
0.006
.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Distance (km)
3.0
3.5
4.0
.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Distance (km)
3.0
3.5
0.004
27.23
27.22
5 cm/s
27.21
-82.78
-82.76
-82.78 -82.78
-82.76
-82.78
Figure 16
The SLOCUM glider provides scientists and researchers with high
resolution, continuous long term datasets such as the 18 hour
temperature time series plot displayed above. This information is
vital for understanding the connections between physics and biology
in driving ocean weather.
Above is an example of a real-time oceanographic dataset acquired
over two days off the West Florida Shelf. The panels on the left
reveal a thermal front containing biological material in the cooler
surface waters.
By the next day (right panels), the front had
disappeared.
Collaborative Society of Glider
Software Agents
SENSORS
DECISION MAKING
PLANNING
KNOWLEDGE
REPRESENTATION
REASONING
SITUATION
MODELLING
COMMUNICATION
PROTOCOLS
Glider Fleet Mission
Status Panel
Software is currently being developed to automate glider file transfers
as well as to introduce some “intelligent” behavior into the glider fleet.
Once implemented, this software will automatically acquire and
process data from the glider and then use this information to
maximize the sampling abilities of the glider fleet.
West Florida Shelf Glider Deployment - January 14, 2003
In the Gulf of Mexico, red-tides develop offshore and are
transported onshore. A fleet of gliders patrolling the offshore waters
will provide early warning of an oncoming event, buying precious
time to mitigate damage of coastal environments and prevent
human health hazards.
Partners:
Webb
Webb
Research
Research
Corporation
Corporation
Dinkum
Dinkum
Software