Autonomous Underwater Vehicle „ABYSS“

Abstract

The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) „ABYSS“ is a modular AUV designed to survey the ocean combining geophysical studies of the seafloor with oceanographic investigations of the overlying water column. The basic mission of ABYSS is deep-sea exploration, specifically in volcanically and tectonically active parts, such as mid-ocean ridges. With a maximum mission depth of 6000 meters, the AUV uses several technologies to map the seafloor accurately and determine its geological structure with applications from geology to biology to mineral exploration.