An Autonomous Remotely Operated Vehicle for Large Tract Seafloor Chemical Pollution Surveys

A vast majority of chemical pollutants that find their way into the marine environment ultimately reside in the ocean floor sediments. By selective sampling and chemical analyses of seafloor sediments it is possible to determine the amount and distribution of these materials. An autonomous, remotely operated vehicle (AROV) designed to be programmable so as to survey large tracts of seafloor and capable of transporting and operating automated sediment sampling equipment could find immediate use. Such a vehicle does not exist today but could be readily designed from unmanned submersible technology, microprocessor-controlled systems, and acoustic navigational and tracking equipment. The design and testing of an automated, continuous sediment sampling system (CS³) has been successfully completed. By combining the proven effectiveness of a CS³sampler and a proposed AROV it would be possible to perform many geotechnical tasks as well as survey and monitor deep ocean waste dumps.