 |
The DEPTHX team returns to Rancho La Azufrosa in March to conduct a second round of tests in the cenote La Pilita (see index map for location). The focus of the mission is evaluate the scientific payload operation, and collect viable biologic samples from the depths of La Pilita. Team members for the week include
DEPTHX Field JournalMarch 8-15, 2007 The third (second in La Pilita) field investigation of the Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) project intends to deploy an autonomous underwater vehicle into the Poza la Pilita cenote. La Pilita is a smaller cenote in Sistema Zacatón. Our objective this week is to complete testing of the vehicle and payload and to conduct a scientific survey of la Pilita. The investigation of la Pilita also serves to prepare and validate the methods we will use to explore cenote el Zacatón. The goals of the DEPTHX project are: exploration of an unmapped underwater caves and tunnels; three-dimensional mapping of volumetric extent; modeling of environmental parameters and their gradients; characterization of localized site to identify region candidates for biological investigation; automated image and data collection with in-situ analysis for adaptive sampling. The DEPTHX project is led by Stone Aerospace who designed and integrated the vehicle. Southwest Research Institute has built the science payload for science investigators from the University of Texas at Austin, Colorado School of Mines, and NASA Ames Research Center. Carnegie Mellon is developing the navigation and guidance software to map the cenote and autonomously execute the exploration strategy. Dave Wettergreen (CMU)[zacaton/DEPTHX/footer/footer_ insert1.htm]
See also Research of
Sistema Zacatón |
|||
 |
