Download - Autonomous Rovers for Polar Science Campaigns

Autonomous Rovers for Polar Science Campaigns

1. Why Develop Polar Rovers?• Reduce logistics costs

• Less infrastructure• Broader safety & weather windows

• Expand science opportunities• Increase spatial & temporal coverage• Maximize repetitive, routine measurements

• Rovers as sensors• Navigation sensors & drivetrains engage environment• Measure snow strength, roughness & topography

AUG12C13E-0683

J.H. Lever1, L.E. Ray2, R.M. Williams2, A.M. Morlock2 & A.M. Burzynski1

1Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover NH2Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Cool Robot

2. Two Platforms• Yeti:

• 4WD, 81 kg, battery powered (3 – 4 hr), GPS waypoint following, towed instrument sled (GPR, etc.)• Deployed South Pole traverse route (2010), South Pole/Old Pole (2011), Greenland traverse route (2012)• Well-defined survey grids & repeat detection improves GPR hazard mapping

• Cool Robot:• 4DW, 60 kg, solar powered (continuous summer operation), GPS waypoint following, towed instrument

sled (air & snow sampling, GPR, etc.)• Deployed Summit Station (2005) to confirm mobility & power budget

Next for Yeti• Mt. Erebus 2012 (with NM Tech)

• Gridded GPR surveys to map ice caves within Mt. Erebus glaciers• McMurdo Shear Zone 2013 – 15 (with U Maine)

• Gridded GPR surveys to map shear-crevasse field between McMurdo & Ross Ice Shelves• Investigate shear zone as boundary condition on Ross Ice Shelf

• Operational Support 2013 (OPP)• GPR surveys to detect crevasses along South Pole and Greenland traverses routes

3. Seeking Partners• To propose rovers for unique science campaigns• To expand scope of existing field projects• Payloads & rover operations matched to science needs

Contact:

More Informationhttp://engineering.dartmouth.edu/crobots/

Lever, J.H., A.J. Delaney, L.E Ray, E. Trautmann, L.A. Barna and A.M Burzynski (in press) Autonomous GPR surveys using Polar rover Yeti. Journal of Field Robotics, accepted Oct 2012

Ray, L.E., J.H. Lever, A.D. Streeter and A.D. Price (2007) Design and power management of a solar-powered “Cool Robot” for polar instrument networks. Journal of Field Robotics, 24(7), 581 – 599.

Acknowledgements: Cool Robot – NSF grants OPP-0343328 & OPP-0806157, NIST grant 60NANB4D1144 and Army AT42 Mobility of Lightweight Robotic Vehicles. Yeti – NSF-OPP Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics and Arctic Research Support and Logistics, NASA-JPL grant RSA 1310519

Dr. James Lever, CRREL Prof. Laura Ray, Dartmouth [email protected]

[email protected]

603-646-1243

Yeti

Next for Cool Robot• Summit Station 2013 (with UNH)

• Demonstrate long-endurance science campaign (100 – 200 km, 2 – 5 days)• Measure emissions footprint of Summit• Measure surface-snow characteristics & roughness (satellite ground truth)

270 W electrical power @ 20° sun elev.35% is reflected power

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