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Hello Millicent,
Princeton University Selects SeaTrac SP-48 to Monitor Deep Earthquake Rupture Sites with Innovative Seafloor Geodesy System
SeaTrac Systems, Inc. (SeaTrac) is pleased to announce the sale and delivery of one of its SP-48
persistent Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs) to an elite Geosciences team at Princeton
University. Working with longtime collaborator Harold “Bud” Vincent and DBV
Technology, Dr. Frederik Simons and his Princeton team aim to advance the
current state of the art for seafloor geodesy, which is the science of
understanding the depth, shape and movement of the seafloor, and how seafloor
bathymetry relates to its gravitational and magnetic fields. By combining acoustic
data with GPS/GNSS data (GPS-A), the team’s specific interest is persistently
monitoring deep seafloor tectonic plate movement to better measure its change
and shape before and after earthquakes.
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Autonomous Piece of the Puzzle: SeaTrac’s SP-48 USV performs the seafloor geodesy duties
for a fraction of the $25-50K daily rate of a crewed oceanographic vessel—and
completely green.
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The Princeton geophysicists, using DBV’s innovative system
and method for seafloor geodesy, employs either Temporary or Continuous Deep
Ocean Geodetic Sensors (T-DOGS and C-DOGS) which measure seafloor tectonic
plate movement at any ocean depth, using very low power, and for very long-term
deployments more accurately and economically than present methods. (T-DOGS are recoverable and are for deployments
up to 3 years. C-DOGS are for 30-50 years and are not intended to be
recovered.) SeaTrac’s SP-48 autonomous
platform will transit desired acoustic survey data paths for up to 12 hours at
a time, loiter over the DOGS to receive their telemetered data, and regularly
send the data to shore via satellite. Test missions are planned initially for
Puerto Rico in the Fall of 2022 and Bermuda in Spring 2023.
“This is a critical technology to enable seafloor geodesy at
scale, and the overall success of the mission is highly dependent on how the
USV performs,” notes project technical lead Bud Vincent. “There are a huge
number of USVs out there. We looked at all of their capabilities and
maturities; from an economic and technical standpoint, SeaTrac’s stood out.”
“Oceanographic research is
more critical than ever and environmentally and economically we can’t justify
or afford to keep crewed ships at sea for months on end. Seafloor geodesy at
scale is a perfect example of how autonomy can make long term data collecting
sustainable in every sense of the word,” notes SeaTrac’s Director of Product
& Business Development Hobie Boeschenstein.
About DBV Technology, LLC
DBV Technology, LLC develops custom ocean instrumentation –
from the shallow coast to full ocean depth - concentrating on acoustic systems
for navigation and positioning of underwater assets. DBV also designs, builds,
tests, and integrates custom acoustic payloads for the SeaTrac platform. For
more information, Visit DBV's website
About SeaTrac Systems, Inc.
SeaTrac Systems, Inc.
manufactures, sells, and rents cost-effective, multi-purpose long endurance
solar-powered Uncrewed Surface Vehicles for commercial, scientific, and
military applications. The SeaTrac USV can carry a wide variety of sensors and
custom payload modules that make it perfect for research, monitoring or
surveillance tasks where autonomy, cost and ease of deployment matter. For more
information, Visit SeaTrac's website
Media Contact: Alessandra Bianchi SeaTrac Systems, Inc.
+1 781-258-1440
abianchi@seatrac.com
Best Regards,
The SeaTrac Crew
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