Mapping In Situ Optical Properties in Coastal Waters Using Slocum Gliders During RIMPAC

Abstract

Characterizing in situ water turbidity is critical to numerous naval operations. In particular, water column turbidity impacts the efficacy of sensors that use optical measurements for a variety of purposes including laser detection of mines and prediction of the operational detection horizon for bioluminescence. To this end we have been developing an autonomous platform outfitted with this sensor package and reporting the data in near-real time prior to and during advance into a battle space. The endurance, water column coverage, stealth, and mobility of the Slocum Coastal Glider provides an ideal platform when coupled with the correct optical suite to accomplish this utility. During the MIREM 2004 and 2005 efforts we in collaboration with WetLabs and Metron have demonstrated that the Webb gliders are capable of carrying the optical sensors appropriate for mapping the incident optical conditions in mesotrophic coastal waters. Building on these accomplishments, our goal in 2006 was to demonstrate the capability of Webb gliders to characterize the optical properties in oligotrophic waters within the nearshore operational zone of the 2006 RIMPAC field effort. In June and July of 2006 an exercise was conducted with the AQS-24 Laser Line Scan (LLS) system during the RIMPAC operation offshore Hawaii. Our goal was in support of this effort was to map the in-water optical properties to assess the potential, performance of the AQS-24 system. Specifically for the LLS, the performance issues to be focused on include the reacquisition and identification probabilities in a diverse range of coastal waters. Building off these efforts we during the 2008 RIMPAC effort flew three gliders and supported Glider operations of the NAVOOCEANO gliders.

Document Details

• Document Type: Technical Report
• Publication Date: Jan 01, 2008
• Accession Number: ADA517424

Entities

People

• Oscar M. Schofield
• Scott Glenn

Organizations

• Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Detection
• Detectors
• Laser Detection
• Laser-Based Detection
• Lessons Learned
• Measurement
• Military Organizations
• Naval Operations
• Navy
• New Brunswick
• Optical Detectors
• Optical Properties
• Optics
• Regions
• Scattering
• Submarine Warfare
• Training

Fields of Study

• Environmental science

Readers

• Coastal Oceanography
• Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Directed Energy
• Space
• Space - Space Objects