ROV based tool sled for the placement of fiber optic cable between benthic instrument nodes

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has committed to the novel and technically ambitious Canyon Dynamics Project. Canyon Dynamics represents a dual effort by science and engineering. Science, to understand the physical processes of submarine canyons as conduits for transporting materials from continents to the deep sea. Engineering, to develop the tools necessary to accomplish this goal. The key elements are instrumented platforms deployed in the axis of the Monterey Bay Canyon at depths of 250 and 500 meters, located 10 kilometers apart. These RINs (remote instrument nodes) and BINs (benthic inter connect nodes) will be connected with a fiber optic/power cable and establish a network that can measure the currents, suspended sediments concentrations, salinity, and temperature at these sites. This technology will act as building blocks for MOOS (MBARI Ocean Observatory System, MARS (Monterey Accessible Research System, and NEPTUNE projects. This presentation will deal specifically with the design, building, testing, and deployment of a ROV based tool sled constructed for the placement of this cable on the seabed and interconnections with the RIN/BIN platforms. The design includes; integration with the ROV Ventana, meet operational weight constraints, the ability to (pick up, drop, and reacquire the cable spool), support the vehicle's Schilling Titan III manipulator, monitor cable payout speed and distance and a variable ballast system controlled by the amount of cable deployed. Currently the core sled is complete and the peripherals are under construction. Testing has begun with the ROV Ventana and the cable laying tool sled, in the MBARI test tank, performing interconnects with an instrumented RIN platform. Further testing will continue through summer with RIN/BIN deployment taking place in June and cable laying scheduled for this fall.