Seabed resource exploration performed by AUV “Yumeiruka”

JAMSTEC has been developed underwater vehicles and observation equipments required for a variety of study about oceanography. Among the many research fields about deep-sea, in Japan there has been a growing interest in seabed resources from a few years ago. Then we had developed an AUV “Yumeiruka” to perform seabed resource survey. As one of the most significant feature of the shape of “Yumeiruka”, it's equipped with two sets of X-rudders. Therefore, “Yumeiruka” can trace such an irregular sea bottom surface with controlled attitude. After sea trials, it's conducted that observation cruise of “Yumeiruka” with equipped 3-axis fluxgate magnetometer. This cruise was conducted to study about origin of marine resources and the area of confirmed of exists of hydrothermal deposit. In this cruise we confirmed availability of attitude control for seabed resource survey. This paper shows a result of seabed resource exploration performed by “Yumeiruka”.