Porpoise-Like Sub Explores Deep Sea

April 16, 2009 -- A remote-controlled submarine built to monitor ocean conditions and move through the water like a porpoise has just completed a successful trial off the coast of Tasmania.

Known as SG-154, the hot-pink submarine measured variables such as temperature, salinity, oxygen and turbidity during its two-month, 932-mile sojourn in the Tasman Ocean.

The submarine, which is a joint project between the CSIRO and the Integrated Marine Observation System, will become part of the ever-growing network of ocean sensors.

CSIRO researcher Ken Ridgway says a fleet of eight remote-controlled submarines will soon be gathering near-real time data about ocean conditions around Australia.

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"We have one being put out next week and another being launched from South Australia about the same time," he says. "Eventually we'll have three coastal gliders ... and five deep-sea gliders operating."

According to Ridgway, the fleet will primarily be used to record ocean conditions in the East Australian and Leeuwin currents.

"Ocean currents around Australia are critical to so many aspects of nature and human activity," he says. "With the East Australian and Leeuwin currents, we need to understand how they change from season to season and year to year, and the extent of their influence on local coastal conditions, as this affects climate, weather, fisheries, shipping and more.

Ridgway says remote submarines are already being used by marine research groups in the northern hemisphere, but this is the first time one has been developed to measure conditions in the deep ocean.