Comparison of MBARI Autonomous Underwater Mapping Results for ORION Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) and Neptune Canada

Abstract

We present results from MBARI's two contrasting missions of MBARI's autonomous underwater mapping vehicle; the first in Monterey Canyon and the second in Barkley Canyon offshore Vancouver Island. The data requirements for both expeditions were similar, to confirm cable routing plans as part of the U.S. Ocean Observatory Initiative (OOI) and Neptune Canada project. The paper compares the data sets obtained by the MBARI mapping AUV. We also discuss how the various sonar and navigation subsystem technologies individually contributed. The paper then outlines how the AUV successfully accomplished the mission objectives by giving detailed technical and operational information with regarding to each mission's specific needs. Topics include aiding of AUV terrain following navigation using previously obtained ship based multibeam maps, operational and technical constraints of simultaneous data collection from the multibeam, subbottom, side scan, and Doppler velocity log (DVL) acoustic devices as well as surface aided navigation. Details of the resulting maps will be contrasted between the two regions contrasting the AUV high resolution processed data plots image with visually documented bottom and subbottom conditions. The paper concludes with analysis of the Monterey Canyon multibeam mapping data and the altered cable route and further contrasts those results with pending Barkley Canyon decisions for a southern bound cable extension.