Large-area visual mapping of an underwater vent field using the AUV “Tri-Dog 1”

Author

Maki, Toshihiro ; Kondo, Hiroki ; Ura, Tamaki ; Sakamaki, Takashi

Author_Institution

Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo

fYear

2008

fDate

15-18 Sept. 2008

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

8

Abstract

In August 2007, the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Tri-Dog 1 succeeded in visually mapping the seafloor of Tagiri underwater vent field, Kagoshima Bay in Japan to create a large photomosaic with an area of around 3,000 square meters. This is one of the largest underwater photomosaic ever reported. The photomosaic revealed distribution of detailed features of the field such as tube-worm colonies, bacteria mats and bubble plumes. This paper describes the autonomous navigation method implemented on the vehicle and then reports the experimental results.

Keywords

oceanographic techniques; seafloor phenomena; underwater equipment; underwater vehicles; AUV Tri-Dog 1; Autonomous Underwater Vehicle; Japan; Kagoshima Bay; Tagiri underwater vent field mapping; autonomous navigation method; bacteria mats; bubble plumes; seafloor mapping; tube-worm colonies; underwater photomosaic features distribution; Image registration; Path planning; Remotely operated vehicles; Sea floor; Simultaneous localization and mapping; Sonar navigation; Underwater acoustics; Underwater tracking; Underwater vehicles; Vents;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

OCEANS 2008

Conference_Location

Quebec City, QC

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-2619-5

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-2620-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/OCEANS.2008.5152049

Filename

5152049