MBARI Dorado AUV's scientific results

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has been developing Autonomous Underwater Vehicles since 2000. Two sizes currently exist: Dorado class AUVs and Long Range AUVs. This document focuses on recent scientific discoveries made with the Dorado AUVs, which have operated in Monterey Bay, Southern California, the Juan de Fuca plate region offshore of Oregon and Washington states, the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, and the Lau Basin. The Dorado's are modular, which allows interchanging different sections for specific missions. Two examples of research with the CTD/Gulper are chlorophyll peak capture and upwelling front detection and capture. Mapping AUV results presented include location of hydrothermal chimneys, repeat bathymetric surveys, and several surprising discoveries