Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.9
5.0
Journals
Remote Sensing
Special Issues
Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the...
remotesensing-logo
Submit to Remote Sensing Review for Remote Sensing Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2020) | Viewed by 38854

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrea Munafo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Marine Autonomous and Robotics Systems, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
Interests: underwater robotics; underwater acoustics and sonar systems; adaptive planning; oceanographic sampling
Dr. Gabriele Ferri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
NATO-STO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation, 19127 La Spezia, Italy
Interests: multi-robot systems for surveillance and exploration; on-board autonomy architectures; adaptive sampling; robot navigation topics
Dr. Michael Jakuba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, MA 02543, USA
Interests: the development of underwater robotic systems in support of oceanographic science, particularly new vehicle development and low-power navigation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water. Nevertheless, oceans are mostly unknown, with more than 80% still unmapped, unobserved and unexplored. Oceans are crucial for our present. The world oceans englobe about 99% of the biosphere, the viable space on earth. Offshore oil extraction currently accounts for 37% of global production. At present, 28% of global gas production takes places offshore. Global trade is mainly dependent on maritime transport. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated in 2001 that 5.8 billion tons of goods were traded by sea in 2001: more than 80% of the world’s trade. Furthermore, oceans have a key role in ongoing climate change, a dramatic challenge for current and future generations.

It is evident that the world’s future depends on the ocean. Measuring, monitoring, understanding and exploring the ocean are necessary to characterise its dynamics, phenomena, vulnerabilities and, ultimately, to transform the relationship between humans and the seas.

Oceanographic robotics and increasingly sophisticated sensors have enabled new observations to be collected in places at at times not easily accessible through conventional means. These new systems provide complementary information with respect to what is available from ships by acting as force-multipliers. They can provide ground truth for satellite remote sensing and extend measurements along the 3rd spatial dimension—depth. Endowed with on-board intelligence and the capability to move and/or adapt to the environment, oceanographic robotics has the potential to improve the quality and persistence of observations, at a fraction of the cost of additional ships. Moreover, by building networks of smartly interconnected sensors, these robotic and autonomous systems can overcome their intrinsic limitations and provide a step change in our ability to understand the oceans.

This article collection aims at gathering together the marine robotic and marine science communities, to present current work and achievements using robotics, smart instrumentation, and sensor networks to measure and observe the ocean with a level of spatial and temporal resolution that would not be possible otherwise. Submissions highlighting unsolved problems and challenges in delivering the next generation of marine observing systems are particularly encouraged.

Topics include but are not limited to:

  • Marine observatories
  • Smart sensors
  • Autonomous robots and mobile sensors
  • Sensor networks
  • Integration of remote sensing and in situ measurements
  • Adaptive sampling
  • Remote sensor management
  • Planning and sensor allocation
  • Targeted and intelligent sampling
  • Active perception
  • Situational awareness
  • Ocean field measurement and tracking
  • Operation in deep, ice-covered, or other challenging environments
  • Long range, persistent sampling and missions
  • Cooperative sensor networks
  • Future trends in ocean exploration
  • New approaches to oceanographic survey, observation, and monitoring

Dr. Andrea Munafo
Dr. Gabriele Ferri
Dr. Michael Jakuba
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (8 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 2050 KiB  
Article
Adaptable Underwater Networks: The Relation between Autonomy and Communications
by Alexander Hamilton, Sam Holdcroft, Davide Fenucci, Paul Mitchell, Nils Morozs, Andrea Munafò and Jeremy Sitbon
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(20), 3290; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12203290 - 10 Oct 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3405
Abstract
This paper discusses requirements for autonomy and communications in maritime environments through two use cases which are sourced from military scenarios: Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). To address these requirements, this work proposes a service-oriented architecture that breaks the typical [...] Read more.
This paper discusses requirements for autonomy and communications in maritime environments through two use cases which are sourced from military scenarios: Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). To address these requirements, this work proposes a service-oriented architecture that breaks the typical boundaries between the autonomy and the communications stacks. An initial version of the architecture has been implemented and its deployment during a field trial done in January 2019 is reported. The paper discusses the achieved results in terms of system flexibility and ability to address the MCM and ASW requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

26 pages, 6699 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Variability of Chlorophyll-A and Environmental Variables in the Panama Bight
by Andrea Corredor-Acosta, Náyade Cortés-Chong, Alberto Acosta, Matias Pizarro-Koch, Andrés Vargas, Johanna Medellín-Mora, Gonzalo S. Saldías, Valentina Echeverry-Guerra, Jairo Gutiérrez-Fuentes and Stella Betancur-Turizo
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(13), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12132150 - 4 Jul 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4141
Abstract
The analysis of synoptic satellite data of total chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and the environmental drivers that influence nutrient and light availability for phytoplankton growth allows us to understand the spatio-temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass. In the Panama Bight Tropical region (PB; 1–9°N, 79–84°W), the [...] Read more.
The analysis of synoptic satellite data of total chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and the environmental drivers that influence nutrient and light availability for phytoplankton growth allows us to understand the spatio-temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass. In the Panama Bight Tropical region (PB; 1–9°N, 79–84°W), the spatial distribution of Chl-a is mostly related to the seasonal wind patterns and the intensity of localized upwelling centers. However, the association between the Chl-a and different physical variables and nutrient availability is still not fully assessed. In this study, we evaluate the relationship between the Chl-a and multiple physical (wind, Ekman pumping, geostrophic circulation, mixed layer depth, sea level anomalies, river discharges, sea surface temperature, and photosynthetically available radiation) and chemical (nutrients) drivers in order to explain the spatio-temporal Chl-a variability in the PB. We used satellite data of Chl-a and physical variables, and a re-analysis of a biogeochemical product for nutrients (2002–2016). Our results show that at the regional scale, the Chl-a varies seasonally in response to the wind forcing and sea surface temperature. However, in the coastal areas (mainly Gulf of Panama and off central-southern Colombia), the maximum non-seasonal Chl-a values are found in association with the availability of nutrients by river discharges, localized upwelling centers and the geostrophic circulation field. From this study, we infer that the interplay among these physical-chemical drivers is crucial for supporting the phytoplankton growth and the high biodiversity of the PB region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

30 pages, 33931 KiB  
Article
Monitoring of Sea-Ice-Atmosphere Interface in the Proximity of Arctic Tidewater Glaciers: The Contribution of Marine Robotics
by Gabriele Bruzzone, Angelo Odetti, Massimo Caccia and Roberta Ferretti
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(11), 1707; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12111707 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4117
Abstract
The Svalbard archipelago, with its partially closed waters influenced by both oceanic conditions and large tidal glaciers, represents a prime target for understanding the effects of ongoing climate change on glaciers, oceans, and ecosystems. An understanding of the role played by tidewater glaciers [...] Read more.
The Svalbard archipelago, with its partially closed waters influenced by both oceanic conditions and large tidal glaciers, represents a prime target for understanding the effects of ongoing climate change on glaciers, oceans, and ecosystems. An understanding of the role played by tidewater glaciers in marine primary production is still affected by a lack of data from close proximity to glacier fronts, to which, for safety reasons, manned surface vessels cannot get too close. In this context, autonomous marine vehicles can play a key role in collecting high quality data in dangerous interface areas. In particular, the contribution given by light, portable, and modular marine robots is discussed in this paper. The state-of-the-art of technology and of operating procedures is established on the basis of the experience gained in campaigns carried out by Italian National Research Council (CNR) robotic researchers in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Islands, in 2015, 2017, and 2018 respectively. The aim was to demonstrate the capability of an Unmanned Semi-Submersible Vehicle (USSV): (i) To collect water samples in contact with the front of a tidewater glacier; (ii) to work in cooperation with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for sea surface and air column characterisation in the proximity of the fronts of the glaciers; and (iii) to perform, when equipped with suitable tools and instruments, repetitive sampling of water surface as well as profiling the parameters of the water and air column close to the fronts of the tidewater glaciers. The article also reports the issues encountered in navigating in the middle of bergy bits and growlers as well as the problems faced in using some sensors at high latitudes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

33 pages, 7091 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Repeatability of Automated Seafloor Classification Algorithms, with Application in Marine Protected Area Monitoring
by America Zelada Leon, Veerle A.I. Huvenne, Noëlie M.A. Benoist, Matthew Ferguson, Brian J. Bett and Russell B. Wynn
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(10), 1572; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12101572 - 15 May 2020
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4352
Abstract
The number and areal extent of marine protected areas worldwide is rapidly increasing as a result of numerous national targets that aim to see up to 30% of their waters protected by 2030. Automated seabed classification algorithms are arising as faster and objective [...] Read more.
The number and areal extent of marine protected areas worldwide is rapidly increasing as a result of numerous national targets that aim to see up to 30% of their waters protected by 2030. Automated seabed classification algorithms are arising as faster and objective methods to generate benthic habitat maps to monitor these areas. However, no study has yet systematically compared their repeatability. Here we aim to address that problem by comparing the repeatability of maps derived from acoustic datasets collected on consecutive days using three automated seafloor classification algorithms: (1) Random Forest (RF), (2) K–Nearest Neighbour (KNN) and (3) K means (KMEANS). The most robust and repeatable approach is then used to evaluate the change in seafloor habitats between 2012 and 2015 within the Greater Haig Fras Marine Conservation Zone, Celtic Sea, UK. Our results demonstrate that only RF and KNN provide statistically repeatable maps, with 60.3% and 47.2% agreement between consecutive days. Additionally, this study suggests that in low-relief areas, bathymetric derivatives are non-essential input parameters, while backscatter textural features, in particular Grey Level Co-occurrence Matrices, are substantially more effective in the detection of different habitats. Habitat persistence in the test area between 2012 and 2015 was 48.8%, with swapping of habitats driving the changes in 38.2% of the area. Overall, this study highlights the importance of investigating the repeatability of automated seafloor classification methods before they can be fully used in the monitoring of benthic habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 752 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Observation Least-Squares Inversion for GNSS-Acoustic Seafloor Positioning
by Pierre Sakic, Valérie Ballu and Jean-Yves Royer
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(3), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12030448 - 1 Feb 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5513
Abstract
Monitoring deformation on the seafloor is a major challenge for modern geodesy and a key to better understanding tectonic processes and assess related hazards. The extension of the geodetic networks offshore can be achieved by combining satellite positioning (GNSS) of a surface platform [...] Read more.
Monitoring deformation on the seafloor is a major challenge for modern geodesy and a key to better understanding tectonic processes and assess related hazards. The extension of the geodetic networks offshore can be achieved by combining satellite positioning (GNSS) of a surface platform with acoustic ranging to seafloor transponders. This approach is called GNSS-Acoustic (GNSS-A). The scope of this work is to provide a tool to identify and quantify key points in the error budget of such experiment. For this purpose, we present a least-squares inversion method to determine the absolute position of a seafloor transponder array. Assuming the surface platform is accurately positioned by GNSS, the main observables are the two-way travel time in water between the transponders on the seafloor and the surface platform acoustic head. To better constrain transponder positions, we also consider the baseline lengths and the relative depth-differences between different pairs of them. We illustrate the usefulness of our forward modeling approach and least-square inversion by simulating different experimental protocols (i.e., platform trajectories, with or without information on the distance and depth between transponders). We find that the overall accuracy of a GNSS-A experiment is significantly improved with additional information about the relative depths of the instruments. Baseline lengths also improve the accuracy, but only when combined with depth differences. The codes in Python3 used in this article are freely available online. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 2675 KiB  
Article
Active SLAM for Autonomous Underwater Exploration
by Narcís Palomeras, Marc Carreras and Juan Andrade-Cetto
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(23), 2827; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11232827 - 28 Nov 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5538
Abstract
Exploration of a complex underwater environment without an a priori map is beyond the state of the art for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Despite several efforts regarding simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and view planning, there is no exploration framework, tailored to underwater [...] Read more.
Exploration of a complex underwater environment without an a priori map is beyond the state of the art for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Despite several efforts regarding simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and view planning, there is no exploration framework, tailored to underwater vehicles, that faces exploration combining mapping, active localization, and view planning in a unified way. We propose an exploration framework, based on an active SLAM strategy, that combines three main elements: a view planner, an iterative closest point algorithm (ICP)-based pose-graph SLAM algorithm, and an action selection mechanism that makes use of the joint map and state entropy reduction. To demonstrate the benefits of the active SLAM strategy, several tests were conducted with the Girona 500 AUV, both in simulation and in the real world. The article shows how the proposed framework makes it possible to plan exploratory trajectories that keep the vehicle’s uncertainty bounded; thus, creating more consistent maps. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 10376 KiB  
Article
Wave Height and Wave Period Derived from a Shipboard Coherent S-Band Wave Radar in the South China Sea
by Zezong Chen, Xi Chen, Chen Zhao and Zihan Wang
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(23), 2812; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11232812 - 27 Nov 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4159
Abstract
To expand the scope of ocean wave observations, a shipboard coherent S-band wave radar system was developed recently. The radar directly measures the wave orbital velocity from the Doppler shift of the received radar signal. The sources of this Doppler shift are analyzed. [...] Read more.
To expand the scope of ocean wave observations, a shipboard coherent S-band wave radar system was developed recently. The radar directly measures the wave orbital velocity from the Doppler shift of the received radar signal. The sources of this Doppler shift are analyzed. After removing the Doppler shifts caused by the ocean current and platform, the radial velocities of water particles of the surface gravity waves are retrieved. Subsequently, the wavenumber spectrum can be obtained based on linear wave theory. Later, the significant wave height and wave periods (including mean wave period and peak wave period) can be calculated from the wavenumber spectrum. This radar provides a calibration-free way to measure wave parameters and is a novel underway coherent microwave wave radar. From 9 September to 11 September 2018, an experiment involving radar-derived and buoy-measured wave measurements was conducted in the South China Sea. The Doppler spectra obtained when the ship was in the state of navigation or mooring indicated that the quality of the radar echo was fairly good. The significant wave heights and wave periods measured using the radar are compared with those obtained from the wave buoy. The correlation coefficients of wave heights and mean wave periods between these two instruments both exceed 0.9 while the root mean square differences are respectively less than 0.15 m and 0.25 s, regardless of the state of motion of the ship. These results indicate that this radar has the capability to accurately measure ocean wave heights and wave periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 6012 KiB  
Review
Scientific Challenges and Present Capabilities in Underwater Robotic Vehicle Design and Navigation for Oceanographic Exploration Under-Ice
by Laughlin D. L. Barker, Michael V. Jakuba, Andrew D. Bowen, Christopher R. German, Ted Maksym, Larry Mayer, Antje Boetius, Pierre Dutrieux and Louis L. Whitcomb
Remote Sens. 2020, 12(16), 2588; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12162588 - 11 Aug 2020
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 6666
Abstract
This paper reviews the scientific motivation and challenges, development, and use of underwater robotic vehicles designed for use in ice-covered waters, with special attention paid to the navigation systems employed for under-ice deployments. Scientific needs for routine access under fixed and moving ice [...] Read more.
This paper reviews the scientific motivation and challenges, development, and use of underwater robotic vehicles designed for use in ice-covered waters, with special attention paid to the navigation systems employed for under-ice deployments. Scientific needs for routine access under fixed and moving ice by underwater robotic vehicles are reviewed in the contexts of geology and geophysics, biology, sea ice and climate, ice shelves, and seafloor mapping. The challenges of under-ice vehicle design and navigation are summarized. The paper reviews all known under-ice robotic vehicles and their associated navigation systems, categorizing them by vehicle type (tethered, untethered, hybrid, and glider) and by the type of ice they were designed for (fixed glacial or sea ice and moving sea ice). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Monitoring and Exploring the Ocean: From Coast to the Deep Sea)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-8
Back to TopTop