Glider network, European coordination

Abstract: A class of small (50 kg, 2 m length), reusable autonomous underwater vehicles capable of operating at speeds cm/s with ranges several thousand kilometers and durations of months has been developed and tested. The vehicles, autonomous profiling floats with wings, execute sawtooth patterns between the surface, where they are located and com to shore, and depths of O(1000 m). These vehicles are commanded remotely and report results to shore in near real tim ent approaches to the various design issues are embodied in the vehicles Spray, Seaglider and Slocum models desc including batteryand thermal-powered propulsion, different depth and speed capabilities, diverse hydrodynamic appro reducing drag and gliding control, various communication schemes, and a range of sensors. These approaches are des examples of completed scientific missions are given. l., e st els. h ic es rs s, ing ult g, em cg on the ive is cles an be an eing ean urand the lidin