New investment in ocean-observing technologies
Robotic systems given key role in monitoring global climate change
More than £15 million is being invested in ambitious new technologies to develop state-of-the-art marine autonomous systems and sensors. This latest investment in next-generation autonomous systems is intended to ensure that the UK maintains its position as a world leader in marine science and technology investment.
The new funding will accelerate the development of two deep water robotic submersibles - an Autosub Long Range autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to operate at depths of 1,500 metres, and an Autosub AUV custom-designed to dive to, operate and withstand pressures at depths up to 6,000 metres under the ocean.
When built, both robotic systems will provide support for under-ice and deep-ocean scientific exploration including critical marine research such as the Changing Arctic Ocean programme which is studying how changes in the physical environment - ice and ocean - will impact on the large-scale ecosystem structure and biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic Ocean.
The investment in marine autonomous systems (MAS) and sensors has been announced by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) as part of a five-year development programme. Two-thirds of this funding will be made through the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). Funding will also be used to develop new command and control systems for more efficient fleet management as well as new equipment for the new Centre for Doctoral Training which provides specialist technical support in the use of smart and autonomous observation systems.
NERC is also investing £5 million in an open call for innovative sensor development suitable for deployment on a variety of submarine and surface platforms, including the new marine autonomous systems.
"This investment will help develop ambitious new technologies for researching the oceans and maintain the UK’s world-class status in autonomous marine platforms," says Professor Duncan Wingham, NERC chief executive. "It will also support specialised skills and training in this exciting area, producing the skilled scientists, engineers and technologists who will carry out innovative marine science in the decades to come."
According to NERC, the new investment will provide unprecedented capability in ocean observing for stakeholders in the UK marine science community. It will increase the capability of ocean innovators to "tackle some fundamental global environmental science questions". Further announcements on this subject are expected later this year.
“We see this investment as a further endorsement by NERC of the strength, excellence and ambition of UK marine science, and this will see the UK leading new capabilities in developing new ocean observing technologies," says Professor Ed Hill, executive director at the National Oceanography Centre.
"This will give unprecedented opportunity to observe complex biogeochemical and biological processes and do so in very difficult and hostile environments including extended endurance beneath the Arctic Ocean sea-ice and Antarctic ice shelves which are increasingly seen as critical environments in understanding global climate change.
"NOC will be working with the wider marine science community to prioritise the investment in new autonomous platforms and marine sensor development over the five-year period.”
Sources:
http://noc.ac.uk/news/%C2%A310m-investment-autonomous-systems
http://www.nerc.ac.uk/press/releases/2016/14-mas-sensors
