Development of Small Underwater Vehicle (ROV) for Antarctic Lake Survey

• Main Authors: Shinpei Gotoh (Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology), Susumu Yamazaki (CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.), Tatsuyoshi Oomura (CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.), Kazuto Ushiyama (CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.), Tomoharu Wakishima (OKANO CABLE CO., LTD.), Kazumitsu Ide (OKANO CABLE CO., LTD.), Yukiko Tanabe (National Institute of Polar Research and Department of Polar Science, School of Multidisciplinary Sciences, SOKENDAI)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 2020
• Subjects: underwater vehicle (rov); antarctic lakes; habitat mapping; navigation device; Geography (General); G1-922; Antarctic; Skarvsnes; Sôya Coast; Syowa Station; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15094/00015873; https://doaj.org/article/4c3ece0d3d3a4acc886e805e77904c37

In the recent study, unique ecosystemic existence became clear in the lakes around the Syowa Station. On the lake bottom of Naga, Hotoke, and Kuwai Lakes in Skarvsnes on the Sôya Coast, a cone-shaped biological community structure mainly consisting of mosses, algae and cyanobacteria have been confirmed. On the other hand, the process leading to fixation and growth from the invasion of the creature has not been elucidated. Conventionally, these lake surveys have been carried out by scuba diving. However, an extensive, effective investigation is difficult because time limitation is rigid for a diving investigation in the low-temperature environment. Therefore, it is difficult to investigate the distribution of lake bottom communities widely and efficiently in various lakes, and it is one of the major factors that limit the progress of research. In this study, we aimed to create visual information as “Habitat mapping” from the lake surface and underwater by developing a new ROV, which is usable at the Antarctic lake surveys during the 58th and 59th Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions.