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Centre for Geobiology

Using an AUV

This summer CGB researchers aboard the G.O.Sars will use the AUV Hugin to help them map the seafloor and search for venting activity.

AUV Hugin
Photo:
Cedric Hamelin

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The second part of this summer's cruise, 5-20 July, will be led by CGB leader Rolf Birger Pedersen. It will head back to the Håkon Mosby Mud volcano and Loki’s Castle for some sampling, before heading north and west for its main target: surveying the Knipovich Ridge for hydrothermal activity. This summer the G.O.Sars will deploy an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The instrument is called 'Hugin' and is owned the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI).

A different AUV was employed this spring by the James Cook is a successful hydrothermal vent search, when researchers found the deepest black smokers yet discovered in the Cayman Trough in the Caribbean Sea.

Researchers at IMR have worked hard with FFI and marine industry partners such as Kongsberg, for the last 15 years to develop and adapt autonomous underwater tools such as the Hugin for use in fishery and other types of marine research; AUV’s can provide tremendous support for search activities. An AUV can be outfitted with mapping technology and chemical and physical sensors. They can be programmed to undertake specific search patterns over the sea floor autonomously while researchers can be engaged with other tasks aboard ship.

Read more - a report on Hugin from IMR. Many of the pictures in this report are used here. Read about IMR's Observation technology research group. and a report about the latest glider they are working on (in Norwegian)