THE UNDERDOG

The underDOG (clever acronym still TBD) is a micro-AUV that is being developed for rapid response to mesoscale, evolving, and transient oceanic phenomena.

That's a fancy way of saying that it's a small underwater robot that someone can toss into the ocean to study events that are less than 100 km in area, are constantly changing, and may only last a few days. ​Some examples of little-understood events that could be studied are ocean eddies [1], Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) [2], or oil spills [3]. Currently, underDOG is being developed with a focus on the latter, as it is part of a multinational collaboration on oil spill research (see TEAM page for further details). 

Use the links below to follow underDOG's journey from an off-the-shelf vehicle to a specialized tool for scientific research. 

REFERENCES

1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). (2017). Ocean Mesoscale Eddies. Retrieved from https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/ocean-mesoscale-eddies/

2. NOAA: National Ocean Service. (n.d.). Harmful Algal Blooms: Tiny Organisms with a Toxic Punch. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/

3. NOAA: Office of Response and Restoration. (2018). Oil Spills at the Water Surface. Retrieved from https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/oil-spills-water-surface.html​

4. ['mission' thumbnail] Beltrá, D. (2010). Oil Spill #12 [digital chromogenic print]. Retrieved from https://www.artworksforchange.org/portfolio/daniel-beltra/​