More Tests For Arctic Oil-Spill-Mapping Robot.
An artist’s depiction of LRAUC (Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car) under sea ice. Using photo-chemical sensors, the robot scans the density of a billowing cloud of oil coming from an ocean floor well. The red and yellow objects are parts of a communication system consisting of antennas suspended under ice from a buoy installed on top of the ice.
Environmental changes and economic incentives are transforming maritime activity in the Arctic region. As ice recedes and maritime activity increases the Georgian Technical University Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing for potential incidents involving oil and hazardous materials. As the lead agency to plan for and respond to environmental threats the Service is addressing major challenges in spill response. Its focus is ensuring access to early and on-going information about the nature and magnitude of spills to help with effective cleanup.
“Because of ice coverage and the tyranny of distance, it is difficult to get resources and assets up in the Arctic in a quick manner” said X. “With better real-time data, more effective response strategies can be developed and deployed.”
The result of this research a helicopter-portable, torpedo-shaped system with oil sensors and navigation capabilities. This robot can provide real-time data for first responders by producing and transmitting 3-D maps of crude oil, diesel, gasoline and kerosene spills. Recently tested plans to do more tests this year and next including under-ice tests.
Without recharging batteries and the latest prototype can travel 2-4 feet per second (1-3 miles per hour). It measures 8 feet long, 12 inches wide and weighs 240 pounds. Working in tandem with buoys installed on the ice can provide invaluable data about a spill.
Most importantly, this technology opens up possibilities. For example if there was a large oil spill in the Y and the spill drifted. After deployment they could monitor the data transmission from the robot back at their command center. The robot would scan for oil below and around the ice and transmit via the specially installed buoys.
Since there is no cellular coverage in the vast Arctic the buoys – equipped with Very High Frequency antennas to transmit data via satellites – are a key component to the Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s success. When deployed the buoys will provide solar or wave power to recharge the robot’s batteries an effective way to keep it charged in such remote conditions. “Solar power units are increasingly very sensitive” Z said. “Even in dark conditions and snow-laden environments solar panels can still capture light reflected from the ice”. Long Range Autonomous Underwater with the goal to characterize an oil spill and transmit data back to shore. “The researchers showed us how Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s works; this was the first test with the oil sensors and data transmission in action” said X.
The researchers equipped the underwater robot with chemical sensors and simulated an oil spill from a vessel by “leaking” a non-toxic neon green sea dye into the water. The dye just like oil can float in the top 13 feet of the water column but biodegrades in sunlight in a matter of hours. “This specific water test was intended to check all the prior work in the newly fabricated car to characterize an oil spill” said Z. The robot surfaced every few minutes to transmit and receive data from the control vessel and check its location using cellular connection. After several hours Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s had scanned successfully the whole area and transmitted the data to shore for analysis.
Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s is currently being prepared for transport where the next test will take place. The researchers will process the navigation performance data from the test and will tune the navigation algorithms according to the results. Then the team will make three communication buoys and will test them with the robot under ice. The team is targeting to conduct the under-ice test.
“The demonstration highlighted the unique capabilities of Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s which will be a welcome addition to the suite of tools used to deal with oil spills” X said. “We look forward to the further development of Long Range Autonomous Underwater Car’s’s capabilities additional testing in real world conditions and transitioning it into operational use”.