OEX - AUV MISSION PLAN FOR
ADVERSE WEATHER EXPERIMENT APRIL 2000

Four approximately three-hour consecutive surveys in a horizontal and vertical plane are planned. Box pattern surveys will be conducted in the horizontal plane at 10 m depth over a 1km x 450 m region, where the nominal water depth is 20 m. The horizontal plane survey will be followed by one in a vertical plane in the center of the region. Details of the survey patterns are described below. A total of 10 GPS fixes per 3-hour survey will be conducted.  

Schematics for OEX missions 1-3. o indicates location for a GPS fix.

1.       Box 1 at 10m depth at 1.25 m/s

·         Take GPS fix and start at northeast corner of box: 26⁰ 3.1221’ N, 80⁰ 5.2603’ W

·         Dive to 10 m depth and proceed 500 m west to 80⁰ 5.5282’W.

·         Turn and proceed south at 1.25 m/s for 1 km to 26⁰ 2.5822’ N.

·         Surface, get a GPS fix, and dive again to 10 m depth.

·         Head 500 m east to 5.2603' W.

·         Turn and proceed 1 km north to starting position.

·         Surface and get a GPS fix.

2.       Box 2 at 10m depth at 1.25 m/s

·         From Start point dive to 10 m and head west 375 m to 80⁰ 5.4628' W.

·         Turn and head south 1 km.

·         Surface, get a GPS fix, and dive again to 10 m depth.

·         Head east 250m.

·         Turn and head north 1 km.

·         Surface and get a GPS fix.

3.       Centerline at 10m depth

·         From finish position for mission 2, head 125m west to 80⁰ 5.3953' W

·         Dive to 10m depth and proceed south 1 km.

·         Surface and get a GPS fix.

4.       Depth Profile or vertical plane survey

·         Starting from the finish position of mission 3, get a GPS fix, move to 26⁰ 2.5822’ N  80⁰ 5.3953' W and dive to 2m ALTITUDE.

·         Proceed north at 2 m altitude for 1 km.

·         Surface for a GPS fix, turn and dive to 6m ALTITUDE.

·         Proceed south at 6 m altitude for 1 km.

·         Surface for a GPS fix, turn and dive to 10 m DEPTH.

·         Proceed North at 10 m depth for 1 km.

·         Surface for a GPS fix, turn and dive to 6 m DEPTH.

·         Proceed south at 6 m depth for 1 km.

·         Surface for a GPS fix, turn and dive to 2 m DEPTH.

·         Proceed north at 2 m depth for 1 km.

·         Proceed 250m east to return to starting point, 26⁰ 3.1221’ N, 80⁰ 5.2603’ W.

 Repeat 1-4 four times.

Schematics of OEX mission 4. o indicates location of GPS fixes

Pre-mission bathymetry survey (2/17/00) of the site. The rectangle marks the 1 x 0.5 km OEX survey site.