Øyvind Ødegård

Integrated environmental mapping and monitoring, a methodological approach to optimise knowledge gathering and sampling strategy.

New technology has led to new opportunities for a holistic environmental monitoring approach adjusted to purpose and object of interest. The proposed integrated environmental mapping and monitoring (IEMM) concept, presented in this paper, describes the different steps in such a system from mission of survey to selection of parameters, sensors, sensor platforms, data collection, data storage, analysis and to data interpretation for reliable decision making. The system is generic; it can be used by authorities, industry and academia and is useful for planning- and operational phases. In the planning process the systematic approach is also ideal to identify areas with gap of knowledge. The critical stages of the concept is discussed and exemplified by two case studies, one environmental mapping and one monitoring case. As an operational system, the IEMM concept can contribute to an optimised integrated environmental mapping and monitoring for knowledge generation as basis for decision making.

Scientific Operations Combining ROV and AUV in the Trondheim Fjord

This paper describes an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) complementing each other on a scientific cruise in the Trondheim Fjord (Norway). The Norwegian University of Science and Technology Applied Underwater Robotics-Laboratory and the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment mobilized for a collaborative cruise with an ROV equipped with video camera, dynamic positioning system, still camera for photographic mosaic, underwater hyperspectral imager (UHI) and inertial measurement unit, and the AUV Hugin HUS with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) and still camera as main instruments. A multidisciplinary approach was used to set up the operations for using ROV, AUV, SAS, and UHI to document archaeological and biological sites. The cruise was run as an integrated operation processing data online and using collected data actively in the cruise planning and replanning. The AUV presented unparalleled area coverage capacity for mapping and search, while the ROV provided detailed information from the sites. During the cruise, approximately 20 km2 were mapped with high-resolution sensors, and the data were ground-truthed using the ROV. These data provided new information and insight of both biological and archaeological sites.