Next-Generation SGX Seagliders for ONR Research
Abstract
We propose the acquisition of four new SGX gliders (next-generation Seagliders) foruse in a broad range of ONR research programs. Since 2006, the IntegrativeObservational Platforms Group at the Applied Physics Laboratory, University ofWashington, has maintained a fleet of Seagliders, including many dedicated to ONRmissions. The team has operated these vehicles in numerous major scienceprograms and several Navy exercises for a total of 109 missions, with 30.3 years atsea, 196,247 km (nearly five times the earth~s circumference) of transit and 45,535dives. These ONR missions push the boundaries of autonomous observing, withapplications that span the spectrum from long-term characterization of regionalcirculation to intensive, submesoscale process studies, with the common aim ofimproving model fidelity and forecast capability. Our team has recently completeddevelopment of the next generation Seaglider, SGX. Motivated by science andoperational needs, these vehicles have been designed to provide significantimprovements in endurance and payload handling. This proposal requests supportto fabricate four SGX gliders, both to modernize the ONR Seaglider fleet byintroducing vehicles that incorporate the most recent technological advances, and toreplenish the fleet in the face of losses incurred in over a decade of ONR missions indemanding environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2017
- Source ID
- N000141712167
Entities
People
- Craig Lee
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Washington