Oil Spill Detection and Tracking
Technologies
• Aircraft and Autonomous Aircraft Detection
Methods
• Autonomous Surface Vessel Tracking Methods
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Plume Mapping
and Sampling Methods
• Underwater Acoustic Plume Mapping Methods
• HF Radar Tracking Methods
• Manned Submersibles
• Seismic Plume Mapping Methods: not performed
WaveGlider Autonomous
Surface Vessel, Liquid Robotics
• Wave energy provides
thrust, surface float = 2m
long; glider 7m down
• Solar energy or batteries
power payloads
• Can travel to remote
areas
• Full satellite comms
• Variety of sensor options
• Low operating costs
WaveGlider Autonomous Surface Vessel,
showing once/min Iridium burst comms
position, moving @1 knot, w real-time control
Oil Spill Detection and Tracking Technologies:
Autonomous Surface Vessels w Fluorometers
Weather Station 1 m above water line.
Air Temp, Barometric Press, Wind Speed
& Direction.
Forward dry box with integrated
FluorometerArray & support
electronics. (0 meters)
Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor (0
meters)
Hydrodynamic enclosure with
integrated FluorometerArray, Optical
Dissolved Oxygen Sensor, and support
electronics. (7 meters)
Oil Spill Detection and Tracking Technologies:
Autonomous Surface Vessels w Digital or Video
Cameras, and image from camera
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Technology:
WHOI Sentry
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Technology:
WHOI Sentry Mass Spec Plume Map
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Technology:
WHOI Jaguar/Puma…has worked worldwide, including under ice
in arctic. Includes 3D HDTV, other sensor options. Speed @0.5kt,
24 hr endurance
Jaguar/Puma AUV has small shipping footprint,
requires team of only 3 operators; are 3 vehicles
and teams available. Does not require large ship.
Transponders can be used for precise benthic positioning, or
AUV can be acoustically tethered (without transponders)
Problem: Untrawlable Habitat
AUV Can be Used for Essential Fish Habitat Surveys
as in the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary
Puma seafloor AUV HD Video quality results
Distribution and
anemones and
sponges at 85°E
ROV Ops under ice: First melt a hole
Testing the Small ROV
ROV Video
COVIS: Cable Operated Vent Imaging Sonar at
Neptune Observatory, B.C.,uses a Reson 7125
multibeam sonar to measure vent plumes
COVIS setup showing range in one mode; range
in vertical can be greatly increased by altering
scan angles
COVIS results on vent plume intensity and
velocity
HF Surface Current Radar Maps, Zoomed in,
satellite view, So.Cal.Coastal Ocean Obs. System
HF Radar Surface Current Mapping
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Records surface currents @every 20 minutes
Best if multiple locations along coast are used
Ice reflection stronger than surface currents
Can discriminate ice movements and surface
currents
Does best (furthest range) with some seas
Range @30-100km depending on seas, radar
Requires remote power which has been
developed
Units can be airlifted in along coast
HF Radar Surface Current Mapping
• In GoM, Louisiana had no HF radars, offer to do emergency
install got bogged down in government inter-agency
discussions, never happened: could have improved shore
party deployments
• Off Alaska North Slope and Canada coastal coverage is
incomplete, but new remote power developments could
facilitate gap-filling and emergency deployments
• Commerical provider taking steps to maintain spare inventory
for emergency responses
• Coverage of Chukchi coast and Bering coasts very spotty /
inadequate at present
• Ice and surface current separate flow studies to date only
demonstrated in 2 day study: longer studies would be useful
to make these measurements more routine, reliable
Manned Submersibles: Deepworker 2000, good
to 2000’ used by Harte Res. Inst., Texas &
National Geographic Society