*
 
International Polar Year
IPY 2007-2008
 
 
Updated on 05/01/2009
 
*
 

Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

Click for printer friendly version


PROPOSAL INFORMATION

(ID No: 698)

CANADA #36: BELUGA - Below ice Environmental Laboratory UsinG an AUV  (BELUGA)

Outline
Substantial operations under the polar ice using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have been the object of two major programs to date: one operated by International Submarine Engineering Ltd. using the worlds largest AUV Theseus under contract to the Department of National Defence in 1991-1996 which culminated in missions 220km in length under fast ice near Alert in the Canadian Arctic; and under ice shelves in the Antarctic and off Greenland using the AUTOSUB vehicle in the extensive science based AUTOSUB Under Ice program in 2003-2005 (http://www.soc.soton.ac.uk/aui/aui.html). Both these operators are involved in this proposal with the intention that this experience will be available to the research team through direct involvement in operations and at the steering committee level. We will use as a platform a 4.5m ocean-going Explorer AUV with a 3,000m depth capability built by International Submarine Engineering Ltd and to be delivered to Memorial University in September 2005. This vehicle is funded to date from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency through the Atlantic Innovation Fund. An extensive engineering and science based research program will be built around the survey and monitoring capability of the vehicle. Our own work has developed oceanic ecological risk assessment models for discharge of rock cuttings from offshore drilling operations and produced water from oil production facilities. We proposed use of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technology for environmental monitoring in the offshore through a technology evaluation project using an underwater mass spectrometer on the 5m ARCS vehicle. An AUV can collect field data that cannot be accurately obtained in other ways and is the only method to obtain extensive data from the under ice environment of the polar oceans. Data can be collected throughout the 3-D space of the water column. We will work on the design of the missions; the collection and interpretation of data from the under ice environment; the capability of the AUV itself and its instrumentation to enhance data collection tools, sensors, vehicle capability and to validate simulation models. Under the direction each of a lead researcher/scientist/engineer a program of approximately eight detailed research projects will be invited in the areas of physical oceanography; marine biology; marine geology; sea ice characteristics; and hydrographic survey. The mechanism will be to invite leading and promising upcoming polar researchers to make proposals in areas of their interest to a steering committee that will be formed early in the tenure of the program.

Theme(s)   Major Target
 

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Status – A major aim will be to determine the present environmental status of the polar ocean regions underneath the ice sheet. Significant advances will be made in the spatial density of environmental data collected from under the Arctic ice. In many cases we expect to collect information that has never been collected from this cryptic region before and there is an extremely high possibility of new discoveries being made in a number of fields. Change – The science of the missions will be involved with quantification and understanding of the present natural environment in the polar oceans with a view to assessing and validating models of projections of future change. A significant focus of some research projects will link change in the oceanic environment through measurements of, for example, oceanographic tracers which indicate the impact of human activity on the environment. Global Linkages: There is a potential to include projects on the links between processes in the Arctic ocean and the rest of the globe, such as those related to ocean temperatures, currents and global climate change. New Frontiers – The project will investigate the frontiers of science in the polar regions through the operation of autonomous underwater vehicles under ice and the development of effective underwater instrumentation for use in polar oceanic conditions. The program will result in a significant advance in the experience of operating autonomous underwater vehicles under the ice in a polar region.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International collaboration - It is intended to involve international collaborators who have experience in polar research as well as a number of collaborators who have experience in operation of underwater vehicles, but no experience in polar research. We have strong links, for example, to a research team at IIT Kharagpur in India who have an active AUV project and could be invited to join the program, but who to date have not worked on polar issues. Confirmed Partners: James Ferguson, Vice President, International Submarine Engineering Ltd., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Mary Williams, Director General, Institute for Ocean Technology, National Research Council, Canada. Potential Partners: Dr. Gwyn Griffiths, Southampton Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK. Dr. Vincent Rigaud, director underwater systems, IFREMER, La Seyne sur Mer, France.


FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Autonomous underwater vehicle – Memorial University “MUN Explorer”. The MUN Explorer will be deployed from the Canadian Arctic ice sheet.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 05/07 – 09/07       05/08 – 09/08      09/08 – 04/09
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Autonomous underwater vehicle – Memorial University “MUN Explorer” (confirmed). Logistics requirements will be helicopter drop off for the AUV, supplies and personnel, equipment to operate the AUV through the ice (e.g. heat, ice cutting; transponders and homing beacons), accommodation and logistics for personnel. For some missions, the vehicle may be deployed from an ice-breaker. Yes, these can be shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
One result of the project will be to develop the Memorial University AUV into a Canadian based infrastructure that can be used on a regular basis as a tool for under polar ice monitoring.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Applications for funding will be made during 2005 and 2006. Overall funding will be applied for from a program such as the NSERC Research Networks Grants if possible (presently this program is on hold). Logistical support, such as transport of equipment, will be negotiated through partnerships with organisations such as the Department of National Defence and Canadian Coastguard. Some will have to be paid for from commercial carriers. International Submarine Engineering Ltd. will be involved heavily in operations and this will involve a cost to the project.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Non-virtual infrastructure


PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
YES
This will be a new autonomous proposal.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Management plan and organizational structure - A small (five or less) international Steering Committee will be formed early in the tenure of the program to oversee the program. If the proposal is acceptable to the CSC, the Steering Committee will be formed in early 2005, could meet in early May 2005, and could have a probable initial composition of Neil Bose (Chair), Memorial University; James Ferguson, International Submarine Engineering Ltd.; Gwyn Griffiths, Southampton Oceanography Centre, UK; and Vincent Rigaud, IFREMER, France. Invitations for research projects will be made during 2005. The research projects will be led by a Principal Investigator, each of whom will have a place on a Management Committee which will report to the Steering Committee.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will be involved extensively in the work and it will be the aim to make results known in the open scientific and engineering literature in a timely fashion.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Results will be published in the open scientific and engineering literature in a timely fashion. Large data sets produced will be made available in an appropriate format through appropriate organisations.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Logistics, operation of the AUV, upgrade of equipment and instrumentation will involve an amount of approximately $4 million over the 3 years 2006-2009. Research projects are estimated at approximately $500,000 apiece for three years each. There will be approximately eight of these for a total amount of $4 million over 2006-2009. The total program cost will be about $8 million. Funding for the research projects will be encouraged from individual applications by the Principal Investigators to programs such as the NSERC Partnerships Program and potentially to similar programs in other countries.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
A program of approximately eight detailed research projects will be invited in the areas of physical oceanography; marine biology; marine geology; sea ice characteristics; and hydrographic survey: • Using on board current profilers (ADCP) and oceanographic instrumentation the vehicle will take physical oceanography data to support models of processes in the Arctic ocean. • Very little is known of the biology of processes occurring under the polar ice. One or more programs will be invited to study the biology of organisms in the polar ocean environment and in the marine benthic region. • Using sonar and a sub-bottom profiler the vehicle will be used to take seismic measurements in the sea floor. • Sea ice measurements, data from pressure interfaces in the ice and underwater ridges/keels will be studied using upwards directed sonar. • Using bottom profiling and side scan sonar the vehicle will make detailed survey measurements of sea bottom profiles in areas of sparse existing data.


PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Neil Bose
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NFLD
A1B 3X5
Canada

Tel: 709-737-4058
Mobile:
Fax: 709-737-6184
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Name   Affiliation
James Ferguson   Vice President, International Submarine Engineering Ltd., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.
Dr. Gwyn Griffiths   Southampton Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK.
Dr. Vincent Rigaud   Director underwater systems, IFREMER, La Seyne sur Mer, France
Dr. Mary Williams   Director General, Institute for Ocean Technology, National Research Council, Canada.
     
     

Other Information


 
   
   
 
Strengthening international science for the benefit of society