Underwater Technology
International Journal of the Society for Underwater Technology
ISSN 1756 0543 (Print) ISI Rating 0.133
ISSN 1756 0551 (Online)
To view full articles online, please visit
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sut/unwt
Underwater
Technology is the peer-reviewed international journal of the
Society for Underwater Technology. The objectives of the journal are
to inform and acquaint the Society's members and other readers with
current views and new developments in the broad areas of underwater
technology, ocean science and offshore engineering.
Please use the left-hand-side buttons or these links for the
journal:
Archive,
Search,
Editorial Board,
Scope,
Submissions,
Subscription
or
Advertising.
Access is free with SUT membership. For more
information on how to set up your subscription, please contact the
Membership Secretary, Jane Hinton, at
jane.hinton@sut.org
Current Issue
Underwater Technology Vol 27 No 4
Oceanography International Special Issue
Spring/Summer 2008
A
Personal View
The threat and promise of methane hydrates
D Hazelwood
Technical
Papers
The progression and impact of the latest generation
of multibeam acoustics upon multidisciplinary hydrographic-based applications
C Malzone, D Lockhart, T Meurling and M Baldwin
Abstract:
The progression of hydrographic echo sounding has
been driven by navigational, socioeconomic (EEZ, Law of the Sea, Offshore
Oil/Gas) and research (habitat mapping, coastal erosion, etc) requirements.
Since the first installation of a multibeam echo sounder (MBES) in 1963, the
progression of the technology has provided a steady increase in the number of
soundings, as well as increases in sampling rates, data volumes and system
resolution. Recent improvements incorporate better signal-to-noise ratios,
multiple frequencies, calibrated arrays and new signal processing functionality.
These advancements, combined with parallel improvements in data acquisition
methods and post-processing techniques, make the data more accurate, thus
providing more reliable survey products. MBES technology now makes use of all
aspects of the inherent acoustics to provide additional data products, such as
beam intensity, pseudo-sidescan, seafloor backscatter and raw time series
backscatter. The latest generation of MBES now contains the processing power to
log concurrently all datagrams with the same sampling and ping rates as the
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Special Order bathymetry data
(34.5kHz and 40Hz, respectively). The result has been the incorporation of
multibeam derived products for multidisciplinary hydrographic-based
applications, such as nautical charting, habitat mapping, fisheries biomass
surveys and sediment transport studies. This paper explores recent improvements
in MBES systems in comparison with their older counterparts and discusses the
effects these advancements will have on the future of multidisciplinary
hydrographic-based applications in both shallow and deep waters.
Technical
Papers
Environmental impact and appraisal - planning
consent for the South West of England Wave Hub
N Harrington and I Andina-Pendαs
Abstract:
Wave Hub is an innovative demonstration
site for generation of wave energy located in the South West of
England. In simple terms, Wave Hub consists of an offshore
electrical 'socket' to connect arrays of wave energy converters to
the national grid via undersea cables, allowing technology
developers to demonstrate and monitor the operation of their devices
in real sea conditions. A key element in the development of the
proposed Wave Hub was to gain consent from the relevant UK
regulatory bodies. This paper describes the process for the consent
application followed and highlights the main issues encountered
during the preparation of the environmental studies to support the
application, and subsequent discussions with regulators and
stakeholders.
Technical
Papers
Improved measurement technologies for floating wave
energy converter (WEC) mooring arrangements
L Johanning and GH Smith
Abstract:
Large-scale experiments were conducted
under real sea conditions to support the investigation of non-linear
mooring line effects and their importance to moored wave energy
device installations. The problems associated with such testing are
described, and a discussion of solutions to overcome these is given.
An improvement of the experimental apparatus and procedures resulted
in meaningful data that could be compared with tank testing and
numerical models. The lessons learned have provided confidence in
the future implementation of an offshore mooring test facility off
the Cornwall coast.
Technical
Papers
Synthetic aperture 3D buried object imaging
S Schock
Abstract:
A towed synthetic aperture sonar called buried
object scanning sonar (BOSS) performs synthetic aperture processing and
generates orthogonal projections of 3D subsurface data to view objects buried in
the seabed. The development of BOSS is reviewed, including significant results.
During an experiment in St Andrews Bay, Florida, the latest version of BOSS,
called BOSS-160, generated images of small cylinders (simulating ordnance)
buried at two shallow water sites with 3m water depths, and with sand and muddy
sand bottom types. Image projections show the orientation, length and burial
depth of cylinders with diameters of 5, 7.5, 10 and 15cm.
Technical
Papers
The role of autonomous underwater vehicles for
marine search and rescue operations
AJ Murphy, MJ Landamore and RW
Birmingham
Abstract:
There is an ever-increasing adoption of new
technologies to improve safety of life, and autonomous technology is no
exception. The use of robotic machines for assisting in search and rescue (SAR)
operations is evident in land and air based scenarios, and European calls for
research into the use of remotely operated or autonomous systems specifically
address this requirement for marine based search and rescue. This paper
addresses the current state of autonomy in the search and rescue field, as well
as the current technologies available for marine applications. A concept for
using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in marine search roles for SAR
scenarios is provided, and the feasibility of such a system is demonstrated.
Existing commercially available AUVs are shown to be capable of providing a
viable search area coverage rate, and sensor technology is sufficiently mature
to enable detection of survivors from the proposed autonomous platform. The
technical challenges for further development of the concept are also addressed.
Technical
Papers
The role of autonomous underwater vehicles for
marine search and rescue operations
AJ Murphy, MJ Landamore and RW
Birmingham
Abstract:
There is an ever-increasing adoption of new
technologies to improve safety of life, and autonomous technology is no
exception. The use of robotic machines for assisting in search and rescue (SAR)
operations is evident in land and air based scenarios, and European calls for
research into the use of remotely operated or autonomous systems specifically
address this requirement for marine based search and rescue. This paper
addresses the current state of autonomy in the search and rescue field, as well
as the current technologies available for marine applications. A concept for
using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in marine search roles for SAR
scenarios is provided, and the feasibility of such a system is demonstrated.
Existing commercially available AUVs are shown to be capable of providing a
viable search area coverage rate, and sensor technology is sufficiently mature
to enable detection of survivors from the proposed autonomous platform. The
technical challenges for further development of the concept are also addressed.
Technical
Papers
Development and field testing of the Doppler Volume
Sampler
PE Plimpton and JW Mullison
Abstract:
In 2004 the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
(PMEL) sponsored a Request for Proposals (RFP) from industry to develop a new
instrument that combined ocean current measurements, highly accurate temperature
measurements and inductive communication in a single package. To support global
ocean monitoring, the new instruments would be deployed on PMEL's deep ocean
surface moorings at selected depths from the near surface to 750m, with data
telemetered to shore via satellite in near real time. From the proposals
submitted, PMEL selected the Doppler Volume Sampler (DVS), a point current meter
developed by Teledyne RD Instruments, for testing. This paper discusses the DVS
engineering design, measurement capabilities, including features for data
quality assessment, and the testing performed during the instrument evaluation.
Meeting
Report
Subscribed Content Selected Highlights of the
29th Consultative Meeting (LC 29) of Contracting Parties to the Convention on
the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972
(London Convention 1972) and the 2nd Meeting of Contracting Parties to the 1996
London Protocol (LP 2) to the London Convention (London Protocol; LP), held at
the Headquarters of the International Coffee Organization, 5-9 November 2007 in
London
P Verlaan
Book
Review
Admiralty Salvage in Peace & War 19062006:
'Grope, Grube and Tremble'
by Tony Booth
Reviewed by J Bevan
Vol 27 Vol 26 Vol 25 Vol 24 Vol 23 Vol 22 Vol 21 Vol 20 Vol 19
Vol 18 Vol 17 Vol 16 Vol 15 Vol 14 Vol 13 Vol 12 Vol 11 Vol 10 Vol 9 Vol 8 Vol 7 Vol 6
Vol 2 Vol 1 Journal SEARCH
