AML Oceanographic MVP200 Supports CTD Profiling During Barents Sea Survey

AML Oceanographic discusses the use of its Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP200) system by Fugro Germany Marine during the Mareano 2017 survey campaign in the Barents Sea, where sound velocity casts were conducted while the survey vessel remained underway.

Working on behalf of the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, Fugro Germany Marine deployed the MVP200 aboard the survey vessel Fugro Discovery to meet a client requirement for sound velocity casts to be conducted at least every two hours. During the project, the vessel surveyed an area of 3220 km² in the Barents Sea. Across 16 operational days, 130 of 150 CTD profiles were collected automatically using the MVP system in water depths up to 400 m.

The CTD profiles were verified and immediately applied to the EM712 Multibeam Echosounder acquisition software (Kongsberg SIS). Operating at an average survey speed of 9 knots, the vessel continuously towed the MVP towfish equipped with an AML Micro CTD behind the vessel. Casts were performed at vessel speeds between 4 and 8 knots, depending on the desired profile depth.

According to Fugro Germany Marine, the ability to perform CTD casts while the vessel remained underway saved time and labor while contributing to improved multibeam data quality and increased daily and overall production. CTD casts were conducted regularly, or whenever environmental conditions changed, including fluctuations in surface sound velocity. The CTD profiles were applied immediately without interrupting data acquisition.

During the Mareano survey campaign, the Fugro Discovery operated in areas where drift ice was present. While surveying near isolated icebergs and patches of drift ice, sound velocity in the upper water column changed rapidly. Under these conditions, the MVP system was used to ensure that the Multibeam Echo Sounder was updated frequently with the correct sound velocity and absorption coefficients while the vessel was underway constantly acquiring bathymetric data.

Paul Rybinski, Chief, MV Fugro Discovery Fugro Germany Marine GmbH, stated, “The MVP System proved itself to be very reliable, robust and relatively easy to operate. The capability to perform CTD cast while the vessel is underway not only saves a lot of time and labour but contributes to increased Multibeam data quality and significantly increases daily and overall production.”

AML Oceanographic states that the Moving Vessel Profiler is designed to reduce the technical and financial unpredictability associated with survey operations. With more than 130 systems sold, the MVP platform has supported thousands of surveys over the past 20 years.