Abstract: The two main objectives of this project are: i) To create an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) able to contact and to be operated directly with end users; ii) To use this (AUV) in order to inspect shallow water hydrothermal vents in D. João de Castro Bank (Azores) for geological and biological determinations. The methodology includes the development of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) that will operate with the AUV as a mobile relay for fast communication purposes. The extension of the shallow water vents will be detected with video and sonar apparatus. The community analysis will be made with video and photograph analysis. All this equipment is built in the AUV.
Field: Marine Sciences and Technologies. Identification code: MAS3-CT97-0092. Partner institutions: Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal); ORCA Instrumentation, SARL (Brest, France); Systems Technologies (Cumbria, UK); École Nationale Supérieure des Ingénieures des Études et Techniques d’Armement - ENSIETA - (Brest, France); Groupe d’Études Sous-Marins de l’Atlantique – GESMA - (Brest, France); DOP/UAç - IMAR (Portugal). Project co-ordinator: António Pascoal (Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal). Partner co-ordinator: Ricardo Serrão Santos (DOP/UAç). Beginning: 1997. Duration: 3 years.