Ocean Exploration Trust and the Nautilus Exploration Program seek out new discoveries in geology, biology, and archaeology while conducting scientific exploration of the seafloor. Our expeditions launch aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus — a 68-meter research ship equipped with live-streaming underwater vehicles for scientists, students, and the public to explore the deep sea from anywhere in the world. We embed educators and interns in our expeditions who share their hands-on experiences via ship-to-shore connections with the next generation. Even while we are not at sea, explorers can dive into Nautilus Live to learn more about our expeditions, find educational resources, and marvel at new encounters.
3. Introduction
3
• The Nautilus Exploration Program was
founded in 2008 by Dr Robert Ballard
under the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET).
• The programme explore the fields of
geology, biology, maritime history,
archaeology, and chemistry in ocean.
• The expeditions are launched aboard
Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus.
• E/V Nautilus is equipped with multiple
ROVs, Acousic systems, and a
Telepresence system.
Ocean Exploration Trust logo (/internet)
4. Expeditions of E/V Nautilus
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nautiluslive.org
Since 2009, Nautilus has been conducting expeditions in Turkey, the
Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Seas, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean
Sea, the Galapagos, west coast of Central and North America, Eastern and
Central Pacific, the Great Lakes and the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone.
6. E/V Nautilus
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• The exploration vessel Nautilus is
owned and operated by Ocean
Exploration Trust.
• The ship is mounted with a high-
resolution multibeam echo
sounder, which maps the
seafloor.
• It has a permanent crew of 17
with provisions for 33 members of
the rotating corps of exploration,
including scientists, engineers,
educators, and artists from
around the world.
E/V Nautilus have facilities like;
• High Resolution Acoustic
systems
• Wet Lab
• ROV Hangar and Workshop
• Data Processing and
Visualization Lab
• Telepresence System
• Production Studio
9. Methodology
9
ROVs are deployed to
record video footages and
collect biological,
geological, chemical and
archaeological samples.
(innerspacecenter.org)
10. Methodology
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The video feed is live
streamed through internet
using Telepresence
technology and
production studio
onboard.
12. Acoustic Systems
12
• Nautilus is equipped with an acoustic echosounder that simultaneously collects
bathymetric, seafloor backscatter, and water column backscatter data.
• It can produce high quality seafloor maps of depth upto 7,000 m (23,000 ft).
• Nautilus transit routes cover unmapped areas of the ocean and contribute to the
Seabed 2030 initiative.
• Since 2012, Nautilus has mapped over 250,000 square kilometers (96,500
square miles) of the seafloor in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and
the Pacific Ocean.
13. 13
Seafloor data using satellites (left) and multibeam sonar onboard Nautilus (right)(nautiluslive.org)
14. Acoustic Systems (Cont.)
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• Three acoustic systems are installed and working onboard E/V Nautilus;
• EM302 Multibeam Echosounder
• Knudsen 3260 Sub-bottom Profiler and Echosounder
• Ultra-Short Baseline Navigation System
EM302 Tracklink 5000MA
Knudsen 3260
(knudseneng.com)
(/internet) (linkquest.com)
15. EM302 Multibeam Echosounder
15
• Kongsberg EM302 multibeam echosounder is capable of efficiently and accurately
producing state-of-the-art maps covering large areas of the seafloor.
• Operating frequency: 30 KHz in pulse forms of CW and FM chirp.
• Operating depth: 100m to 7,000m while cruising at ship speeds upto 12 knots.
• Grid resolution: 1% of water depth
• The multibeam echosounder can also detect phenomena in the water column, such
as bubbles emerging from the seafloor that indicate gas seeps.
EM302 (/internet)
17. Knudsen 3260 Sub-bottom Profiler and
Echosounder
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• The Knudsen 3260 Chirp Sub-bottom
Profiler and Echosounder operates at low
frequencies to penetrate and reflect off of
the layers of sediment, revealing a cross-
section of the seafloor structure.
• Operating frequency: Dual frequency, 3.5
KHz to 15 KHz
• Penetration range: 100m below seafloor
• Operating depth: 50-5,000 m
• Helps to identify subsurface geological
structures such as faults, ancient
channels, and buried levees.
Knudsen 3260 (knudseneng.com)
19. Ultra-Short Baseline Navigation System
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• The ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation
system (Tracklink 5000MA) helps track ROVs.
• A transceiver is mounted on the hull of
Nautilus and the ROVs are fitted with
transponder beacons.
• The transceiver sends a pulse to the
transponder, and the transponder responds
with an acoustic pulse of it’s own.
• The position of transponder relative to the
ship is computed based on the travel time of
the pulse and direction from which it is
received.
• Range: 5,000 m
• Operational beam width: 120°
• Operating frequency: 14.2 to 19.8 kHz
Tracklink 5000MA (/internet)
22. ROV Hercules
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• Hercules have a pair of
manipulator arms which allows
the Hercules pilot to remotely
collect biological and geological
samples with precise dexterity.
• Hercules is equipped with multiple
cameras, including the high-
definition video camera that
allows for real-time telepresence.
• It has surveyed ancient
shipwrecks, discovered
hydrothermal vents, and helped to
identify marine species new to
science.
Sensors and navigation
• CTD
• Oxygen optode
• Pressure sensor (Digiquartz)
• Forward looking SONARs
• NavEst integrated navigation
system
• Insitu mass and laser
spectrometer
• Flourometer
• pH, eH sensors
23. ROV Hercules (contd.)
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• Depth capability: 4,000 m for
upto 3 days
• Payload: upto 113 kg
• Size: 3.9m long x 1.9m wide x
2.2m tall
• Propulsion: 6 hydraulic
thrusters (15 kW, 207 bar)
• Data channels: RS-232, RS-
485/422, Ethernet, TTL
ROV Hercules operating mechanical arms
(Wikimedia)
24. ROV Little Hercules
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• The ROV Little Hercules is a smaller sister to Hercules, designed to function
similarly, but with a focus on gathering high-quality video imagery.
• It is equipped with a 4k video camera, LED lights, and basic sensors for
navigation and situational awareness.
• Sensors and navigation;
• Altimeter
• Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS)
• Pressure sensor (Digiquartz)
• Forward looking SONARs
25. ROV Little Hercules (contd.)
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• Depth capability: 6,000 m
• Size: 1.4m L x 1.0m W x 1.2m H
• Propulsion: Four Tecnadyne
Model 1020 thrusters for
heading control
• Data channel: RS-232
ROV Little Hercules (NOAA Ocean Explorer)
26. ROV Argus
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• ROV Argus is used to keep an
eye over ROV Hercules.
• Argus hovers several meters
above Hercules to provide a bird’s
eye view.
• It is tethered to the ship by a
4,200-meter-long fiber-optic cable
armoured in steel.
• Argus is then connected to
Hercules by a 36-meter yellow
tether cable that houses three
copper wires and fiber optics
allowing data and 2,700 volts of
electricity to pass from the ship
through Argus and down to
Hercules.
Sensors and Navigation
• Tracklink 5000MA USBL
navigation
• Pressure sensor (Digiquartz)
• Forward looking SONARs
• NavEst integrated navigation
system
• Sub bottom profiling SONAR
• Altimeter
• Magnetic motion and attitude
sensor
• Attitude and Heading Reference
System (AHRS)
27. ROV Argus (contd.)
27
• Depth capability: 6,000 m,
currently limited to 4,000 m
• Size: 3.8m long x 1.2m wide x
1.3m tall
• Peopulsion: Two Tecnadyne
Model 1020 thrusters for
heading control
ROV Hercules and ROV Argus
(NOAA Ocean Explorer)
28. ROV Atalanta
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• Smaller version of Argus.
• ROV Atalanta is used in tandem
with ROVs Little Hercules or
Hercules hovering several meters
above them.
• Also used for wider-scale deep
water surveying, or as a sled for
towed sensors like sidescan
SONARs.
Sensors and Navigation
• Pressure sensor (Digiquartz)
• Forward looking SONARs
• Altimeter
• Attitude and Heading Reference
System (AHRS)
• HD Camera and LED sphere lights
29. ROV Atalanta (contd.)
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• Depth capability: 6,000 m
• Size: 2.16m L x 1.0m W x
1.2m H
• Propulsion: 2 Tecnadyne
Model 1020 1 HP thrusters for
heading control
• Data channels: Ethernet, RS-
232
ROV Atalanta (nautiluslive.org)
30. Telepresence System
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• Nautilus use Telepresence
technology to stream live video
from remotely operated vehicles
(ROVs) and various locations
aboard the ship to global viewers
tuning in to the Nautilus Live
website.
• The ship is equipped with a high-
bandwidth satellite
communication system.
• Onshore scientists, engineers,
and data loggers join the
expedition from home through a
special-access text dialogue
connecting them with onboard
scientists.
Video feed from ROVs
Antenna onboard Nautilus
Satellite
Inner Space Center,
University of Rhode Island
Internet
31. Telepresence System (contd.)
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• Expeditions are live streamed through the YouTube channel ‘EVNautilus’.
• Viewers can make their inputs into the expeditions through comments.
• In 2015, a viewer’s such input lead to the discovery of USS Peterson shipwreck!
32. Telepresence System (contd.)
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• VSAT: 2.4 meter stabilized
Sea Tel 9711 uplink antenna
capable of C- and Ku-band
operation of up to 20 Mbps
• Streaming: 6 Haivison X
Encoders
Sea Tel 9711 (nautiluslive.org)
