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REMUS 6000 AUVs Autonomous Underwater Vehicles An AUV is an autonomous underwater vehicle that navigates without a human crew onboard and without cables connecting it to a research vessel at the sea surface. An AUV is launched either by hand or by a LARS (Launch and Recovery System) aboard a research vessel, depending on the AUV's size. After entering the water, the vehicle navigates acoustically by communicating with anchored transponders. Each vehicle has three motors that operate the propeller and two pairs of fins used for steering and diving. An onboard computer, similar to a laptop, coordinates the movements of these motors according to the mission plan downloaded onto the AUV by engineers before launch. As the AUV travels back and forth on its programmed path through the water, it is said to be "mowing the lawn," creating overlapping lanes of sea floor data. These lanes combine to create a cohesive map representing the ocean bottom. Once the vehicle has finished its pre-programmed course, it returns to the surface, where it is recovered and brought onboard the research vessel. Operators are able to download the collected data from the AUV and program it with a set of instructions for the next mission. The CATALYST AUVs 
The CATALYST Program provides the scientific community with two newly
built REMUS 6000 AUVs, belonging to the Waitt Institute for
Discovery and operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
REMUS stands for Remote Environmental Monitoring Units and the REMUS
6000 AUVs have been designed to operate in depths ranging from 25
meters (82ft) to 6000 meters (19,685ft or 3.73 miles). This innovative
new technology can be used for numerous oceanographic purposes,
including scientific sampling and mapping, environmental monitoring,
hydrographic surveys, and search operations.
The CATALYST AUVs can be configured to include a wide array of sensors depending upon expedition requirements. They can be used for hydrographic surveys, environmental monitoring, debris and field mapping, search and salvage operations, fishery operations, scientific sampling and mapping. As versatile research tools, the REMUS 6000s can be outfitted with dual frequency side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers, conductivity/temperature sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic modems, fluorometers, optical sensors, still cameras, and acoustic imaging. The REMUS 6000 was designed under a cooperative program involving the Naval Oceanographic Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in support of deep-water autonomous operations and continues to be developed at WHOI's Oceanographic Systems Laboratory. Hydroid Inc. of East Falmouth, MA now manufactures it. The LARS System 
The REMUS Launch and Recovery System (LARS) is a self-contained system and was engineered at the Oceanographic Systems Lab (OSL) at Woods Hole. It enables the launch and recovery of the REMUS 6000 in sea states up to those created by the Beaufort Scale 5 wind and is installed on the stern of a ship. For launch, the LARS has a built-in A-frame, which tilts the cradle up and over, while leaving the vehicle hanging by its nose. The cradle stabilizes the vehicle until it is a safe distance from the vessel and where the vehicle can be lowered into the water, tail first. When ready, the AUV is commanded to release its towline and begin its mission. When the vehicle surfaces at the end of a mission, it notifies the operators onboard the research vessel with its GPS coordinates. The vessel then approaches the AUV and commands it to release its recovery float and line, which then make an easy target for a grapple toss. Once the line is on-board the AUV, the vehicle is put in tow and the line is attached to the LARS for recovery. The vehicle is pulled back onto the ship and remains in the LARS where it may be prepared for its next mission. |
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