AUV & UAV Ice Mapping Operation

INTRODUCTION

This requirement forms the latest of a series of AUV operations under ice, all designed to improve the understanding of the topography of the under-ice surface, especially a ridged surface. Previous experiments have been done from ships (Lance 2002; Arctic Sunrise 2012; Healy 2014) and from camps on the ice (Beaufort Sea 2007; Alert 2008). The secondary aim is to further improve the technology of under-ice mapping using small AUVs and a multibeam sonar

OBJECTIVE

The requirement is to carry out a field operation to generate three-dimensional maps of the lower surface of ridged ice, in order to determine the shapes, depths and occurrence of pressure ridging in sea ice. The vehicle to be used is an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle), equipped with a multibeam upward-looking sonar so as to obtain an accurate 3-D image of the ice underside as the vehicle follows a programmed track under the ice. The vehicle may be attached to a safety line if necessary.

It is also desirable to map the top surface of the same ice that has been profiled from below by AUV. This operation can be performed by contractor, through a subcontract to a third party, or through ‘in kind’ collaborative efforts with a third party. The topside surface mapping can be accomplished by a laser mapping system which can either be manually deployed on the surface of the sea ice or mounted in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

REQUIREMENT

2. The tender is to assist the Principal Investigator throughout the research voyage by carrying out the deployment and operation of the AUV under ice and the mapping of the surface topography over ice, so as to obtain the best possible set of 3-D images of the pressure ridges.
3. The tender is responsible for demobilising people and equipment at the port of arrival and transport of people and equipment to their home bases.

The tender is to provide processed datasets so that their analysis can yield data products of sea ice topography which can be interpreted and published in scientific journals.

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