New International Polar Challenge Launched
Under the Sea-Ice
World Climate Research Program
For more information, please go to:
http://www.wcrp-climate.org/index.php/polarchallenge.
For questions, please contact:
Michel Rixen
Email: mrixen [at] wmo.int
The World Climate Research Program (WCRP) is launching a Polar Challenge
to reward the first team able to send an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
(AUV) for a 2000km mission under the sea-ice in the Arctic or Antarctic.
The challenge was announced on the sidelines of the Arctic Frontiers
conference, held 18-23 January 2015.
The ultimate aim is to demonstrate a sorely-needed monitoring tool for
the polar regions to expand scientific research capabilities and climate
services in both the Arctic and Antarctic. New generation AUVs such as
underwater gliders provide a potential low-risk, cost-effective option
to scaling up observing networks for the Polar regions.
The WCRP hopes the competition will promote technological innovation
towards a future cost-effective, autonomous and scalable observing
network for ice-covered ocean regions based on a fleet of such
platforms, similar to what ARGO, a global network of more than 3,500
free-drifting floats has accomplished for the open ocean.
AUVs are already used in an operational context around the world in
ice-free zones, and they surface on a regular basis to get a GPS fix and
to transmit environmental data. They are able to collect crucial and
high quality oceanographic observations (such as temperature, salinity,
chlorophyll and acidity) at lower cost compared to conventional
observing systems.
But under the sea-ice, the operating range, positioning, and data
transmission represent major challenges for current underwater vehicles.
The integration of recent progress regarding power systems and
navigation techniques for example would expand the scope of applications
of such vehicles, currently mainly limited to the open ocean.
The challenge will be at least three-fold, in terms of under-ice
navigation, endurance, and environmental monitoring. The WCRP welcomes
the involvement and contribution of all relevant stakeholders in this
important and exciting initiative.
For more information, please go to:
http://www.wcrp-climate.org/index.php/polarchallenge.
For questions, please contact:
Michel Rixen
Email: mrixen [at] wmo.int
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