In Search of Giant Squid
The Odyssey-class of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are small,
inexpensive, robots designed to open new windows for viewing the ocean. One
goal for the AUVs in New Zealand will be to bring back images of the ocean
abyss. These images will provide our biologist colleagues with valuable
insight into the range of behaviors and habitats of species in
Kaikoura Canyon. Equally important will be the opportunity to experiment with
different ways of employing AUVs as tools for biological observation.
For these experiments, the primary Odyssey payload is the National
Geographic Crittercam (developed by Greg Marshal). Thus most vehicle
missions will be primarily video reconnaissance. We plan to fly the
vehicle over the bottom at various altitudes, fly by baited sites, and
profile the water-column far above the bottom. We may get lucky and
glimpse a giant squid, but much can be learned by simply bringing back
images of the sea floor in this biologically diverse, rarely observed,
portion of the ocean.
This Odyssey vehicle is also equipped with sensors which collect precise
temperature, salinity, and depth measurements. These parameters are
important to physical oceanographers because they determine the density of
sea water, and thus underlie the dynamics of ocean circulation. Of course,
temperature and salinity variations can also have significant effects on
the creatures that dwell in the ocean. We hope that our measurement of
these variations in the Kaikoura Canyon region may prove to be an important
contribution to the expedition.
In many respects, the primary goal of our AUV operations off of New Zealand
is to lay the foundation for future studies. The video reconnaissance will
provide valuable guidance for planning more detailed research, and perhaps
eventually manned dives. Measurements of oceanographic parameters such as
temperature and salinity may provide clues about why certain species are
found in specific regions. Finally, lessons learned from this venture will
teach us to use our robot explorers more effectively in Earth's last and
greatest frontier. Leading the AUV team is Dr. James G. Bellingham (far right), Prinicipal Research Engineer and the Manager of the MIT Sea Grant Underwater Vehicles Laboratory.
The rest of the AUV team includes Mr. Robert (Bob) Grieve (left),
Research Specialist and operations manager and Dr. Bradley A. (Brad) Moran
(middle), Research Engineer whose interests are software and vehicle navigation.
You can read Dr. James Bellingham's journals that were written on:
Additional Sources of Information:
Smithsonian Giant Squid Overview Page
gene carl feldman / gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov