Chemical plume mapping with an autonomous underwater vehicle

A REMUS (Remote Environmental Measuring UnitS) autonomous undersea vehicle (AUV) is being used for chemical plume mapping as part of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Chemical Sensing in the Marine Environment (CSME) program. Bathymetric, current, temperature and fluorometric data are collected while the vehicle performs a ladder type search across and downstream of a dye source. These data are used to validate and refine an analytical plume model. Operational experiences and data collected will be presented from operations at San Clemente Island, California and Duck, North Carolina.