Have you met…? Tsung-Chow Su BRIDGE THE GAP Why did FAU decide to develop the new autonomous system? As the Arctic rapidly warms, it is often referred to as the ‘Mediterranean Sea of the 21 st Century’ due to its increasing geopolitical, economic and strategic significance – much like the Mediterranean Sea was during earlier centuries. The Arctic has become the new frontier in ocean engineering. Because the region is warming at a much faster rate than the rest of the planet, continuous monitoring of its changes is now essential. Traditional methods, such as satellites, manned ships and buoys, struggle to provide continuous, high-resolution data across the surface, subsurface and atmosphere. FAU’s goal is to fill this gap by creating a self-sustaining mobile observation platform capable of operating independently for extended periods in harsh, remote Arctic regions. Tsung-Chow Su, a professor in Florida Atlantic University (FAU)’s department of ocean and mechanical engineering, talks about the institution’s new autonomous system for monitoring Arctic ice melt during Arctic summers. The platform, which includes integrated sensor suites such as an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), environmental sensors, atmospheric monitoring tools and satellite uplinks for real-time data relay, gathers and relays data across air, surface and underwater domains. showed significantly reduced ice resistance and enhanced safety margins compared with traditional single-hull vessels. The power system was modeled to ensure that energy harvested from wind and currents is sufficient to sustain operations and recharge auxiliary vehicles. How does it work? The Self-Sustaining Autonomous System (SAS) is based on a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) unmanned surface vessel. The SWATH is a floating research hub, integrating autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These support components dock with and recharge from the SWATH platform, which uses a hybrid renewable energy approach to power all systems. Wind energy propels the vessel using a sail, while an underwater turbine captures power from water movement and solar panels supplement energy harvesting SWATH vessels are uniquely suited for rough seas due to their deeply Tsung-Chow Su is a submerged twin hulls professor at Florida and minimal water Atlantic University surface area, which significantly reduce wave-induced motion and ice collisions. Our design optimizes this advantage through parametric B-spline modeling to refine the hull shape, balance buoyancy and lower the center of gravity. This results in a vessel with enhanced seakeeping, enabling it to remain stable in semi-ice-covered waters. It also serves as a reliable platform for launching UAVs and AUVs, even in the Arctic’s notoriously challenging environment. How has it been engineered for stability? Why is it important to develop solutions like this for the Arctic region? The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, profoundly affecting global climate systems, sea-level rise and ecosystems. However, due to its remoteness and extreme environment, it remains one of the least observed regions on Earth. Deploying long-duration, autonomous systems such as SAS offers a scalable, cost-effective and sustainable way to monitor sea-ice loss, ocean conditions and ecological shifts. This data is critical for climate research, marine resource management and policy development. What is the next stage for this project? How has the concept been tested? The next stage involves transitioning from simulation and concept validation to prototype fabrication and field trials. We are seeking funding support to help move the project forward and bring the self-sustained monitoring system to life. The FAU-designed vessel is essential for marine data collection, integrating UAVs and AUVs for real-time monitoring The system’s feasibility has been validated through computational simulations. CFD analysis confirmed the vessel’s resistance and sail efficiency under various wind conditions. FEM simulations using Ansys LS-Dyna modeled performance in drifting ice fields with varying ice concentrations and speeds. The results Index to advertisers Airmar Technology Corp ................................................................................. 51 Baron Services, Inc. ............................................................................................ 29 EUMETSAT ................................................................................................................... 5 EWR Radar Systems ............................................. 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