Development of a new autonomous underwater moored mobile profiler

Observation of the ocean environment is key to attaining the knowledge and understanding required to predict its evolving state and to respond to its condition. However, manned observation and collection of high resolution oceanographic data over long periods of time is both expensive and hazardous. Various autonomous profiling platforms have been developed to address the issue but there still exists the opportunity to develop efficient, robust, and reliable, low cost platforms to provide the data. In this paper we present the development of a new autonomous profiling system for areas along the continental shelf. The proposed design is a moored vehicle that will profile the water column by controlling the predetermined ascent/descent routine of an instrumentation payload though the use of a buoyancy engine. One of its unique features is the use of a subsea mooring to secure the profiler while still providing the ability to profile the entire water column and make a telemetry link. The profiler has two modes of dynamic behavior during its profile. One mode is similar to that of a profiler which follows a mooring line, while the other mode is similar to a winched profiler.