Access/Technology provider: NOC, T-MARS2 [UC-03]
End User: Cyprus Subsea Consulting and Services C.S.C.S. Ltd, Cyprus [Industry]
Dates: 25-02-2021 to 29-07-2021
Goals: The aims of ECOGLIDER are to capitalize on recent developments and methodologies in sensing and robotic technologies to demonstrate potential services for marine activities needing advanced observations in the Arctic Ocean. Two sensing technologies from the end-user were added to the underwater glider at NOC: real-time passive acoustic monitoring and scientific echosounding. After the technical integration was finalized and tested in the lab, the glider was sent to the NOC research cruise, which took place between 18 June 2021 and 29 July 2021, along the shelf and deep ocean west of Ireland.
This experiment's main goal is to demonstrate the ability of a single glider to characterize many trophic levels and sea conditions simultaneously.
The main achievements of this project was the successful integration of the icListen smart hydropone on a UK glider in Cyprus, the successful tests in air, and final preparation in the UK after the return shipment. The glider was successfully launched, collected data, and recovered approximately 6 weeks later. While real time data were not available for as yet unknown reasons, under normal circumstances (no quarantines, time on site to debug) this could have been avoided. Delayed mode data were successfully recorded (235 GB), and links were made with expert groups in the NOC (UK) and SAMS (Scotland) for future collaboration.
The near-real-time data is available from BODC (open access). Delayed-mode acoustic and CTD data from the glider will be shared by NOC with the community via BODC and the EUMR data portal based in Ireland as soon as they are uploaded from the device by NOC. After this, they will be analyzed and eventually used to write joint papers with expert groups (NOC, SAMS groups). Ship-based data (CTD, currents, samples) will also be provided to the community by the NOC PI via BODC (cruise DY132). Technical results were presented at the EMRA21 (EU-funded Marine Robotics and Applications) workshop on 7 July of 2021, while the glider was at sea (Active and Passive Acoustic Monitoring with Underwater Gliders. Daniel R. Hayes and Ehsan Abdi. Cyprus Subsea Consulting and Services). Acoustic results will be presented at the EMSO Acoustics Time Series Conference 20-22 October 2021 (Plocan) as a second step.