Performance metrics for oceanographic surveys with autonomous underwater vehicles

Abstract

Discusses tools to facilitate the effective use of AUVs to small-scale oceanographic processes. A fundamental difficulty is the coupling of space and time through the AUV trajectory. Combined with the finite velocity and battery life of an AUV, this imposes serious constraints on the extent of the domain and on the spatial and temporal resolutions. We develop a quantitative error metric which accounts for errors due to both spatial undersampling and temporal evolution of the sample field. The accuracy of the error metric is established through surveys of a simulated oceanographic process. Using the physical constraints of the platform, we develop the survey envelope which delineates a region of parameter space within which an AUV can successfully complete a mission. By combining the error metric with the envelope, we create a graphical analysis tool which can be used to gain insight into the AUV design problem. We demonstrate the application of the analysis tool with an examination of the impact of certain design and parameters on surveys of a simple oceanographic process.