Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
MBARI AUVs
Examples of the maps

The MBARI Mapping AUV has now been deployed repeatedly in Monterey Canyon, and in Santa Monica Bay, Barkley Canyon off British Columbia, and Axial Volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

Monterey Canyon

The Canyon Processes project maps the axis of Monterey Canyon regularly to detect bathymetric changes due to sediment transport events. The MARS project used the AUV to map the cable route.

mapping canyon
This three dimensional view of the Monterey Canyon channel was made from multibeam bathymetry data collected with the mapping AUV. Ripples and erosion channels are visible in the canyon axis.
Image: David Caress © 2005 MBARI

Axial Volcano

The Submarine Volcanism project, in collaboration with the NOAA Vents Program, mapped the east rim and part of the caldera floor of Axial Volcano during five AUV deployments in early September, 2006, off the R/V Thompson.

The maps have 1m lateral resolution and 0.3m vertical precision. Individual volcanic pillars and hydrothermal vents were imaged. The surveys covered all of the previously known hydrothermal vent sites, and a ROV ROPOS dive guided by Mapping AUV bathymetry discovered 9 new hydrothermal vents.

Axial nav  Axial map
The summit of Axial Volcano showing the navigation tracks of the five deployments (left). The composite map of the multibeam data that was generated by the AUV (right).
Click maps to view larger versions
Maps © 2006 MBARI

Closeups of Axial's AUV-generated bathymetry, gridded at 1m resolution
Click maps to view larger versions
Maps and images courtesy of NOAA, 2006

chimneys

An area on the east side of the caldera where several large sulfide chimneys were discovered on ROV ROPOS dive R1014, guided by this map. Scale bar is 50m.

el guapo
El Guapo is one of the new chimneys found on R1014. It is venting water at 338oC (640oF) and stands 13m (43ft) tall, the largest active vent yet found at Axial.

 
pillars

An area of lava pillars, collapsed lava surface and uncollapsed lobate lava flows. Scale bar is 50m.

collapse
ROV ROPOS image of a collapsed flow in the area mapped at left.

channels at Axial Large lava drainage channel and deep fissures on the Axial 1998 lava flow. Scale bar is 200m.

Santa Monica Basin

Details...

 Map of ...in Santa Monica Basin. 
Map © MBARI 2006

Barkley Canyon

Details of the Brewer expedition... August, 2006

Barkley Canyon...
Map © 2006 MBARI

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Last updated: Jan. 03, 2008