RRS Discovery D343
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS Discovery (74E3) |
| Cruise identifier | D343 |
| Cruise period | 2009-09-27 — 2009-10-15 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Govan, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Govan, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Trials |
| Objectives | Testing of theAutosub6000 AUV, its systems and safe control to as deep as possible up to 6000 m
Testing of collision avoidance system based on scanned sonar collision avoidance sensor Testing of: Dual CT, LSS (Light scattering sensor), EH probe and magnetometer and Mulitbeam sonar Participation of two researchers from University of Birmingham who are developing a fault diagnosis system for Autosub6000 Test of the HYBIS system in as deep water as possible (NOCS, Southampton). Testing of Acoustic and Satellite Telemetry systems (POL, Liverpool). To develop and test remote measurement technologies, deep water communication systems and a compact version of the MYRTLE (multi-year return tide level equipment) long term deep water recoverable lander. The cruise began with initial tests of the Autosub6000 AUV in the Celtic deep, followed by deep tests of the AUV to 5600m on the Iberian Abyssal plain. HYBIS also carried out a successful deep test in this location. The majority of the work for the Autosub6000, HYBIS and the POL telemetry tests were carried out further south over and around the Casablanca seamount. A high percentage of the tests were successful. |
| Chief scientist | Stephen D McPhail (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton) |
| Project | Oceans 2025 |
| Coordinating body | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Cruise report |  (4.23 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | North East Atlantic |
| Track charts | (0.16 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Bottom photography | Quantity: activity duration in hours = 12 Description: Video recordings of the flanks and over the summit area of the Casablanca Seamount centred on N 32 44.4, W 13 15.1. Data recorded for test purposes only. |
| Multi-beam echosounding | Quantity: survey square kilometres = 20 Description: High (3m) resolution, AUV collected, Multibeam Sonar over the flanks and summit area of the Casablanca Seamount, centred on N 32 44.4, W 13 15.1. Data recorded for test purposes only. |
