I, Robot, Can Do That! (Adapted from the 2005 Lost City Expedition)
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Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008 I, Robot, Can Do That! (adapted from the 2005 Lost City Expedition) FOCUS SEATIN G ARRAN G E M ENT Underwater robotic vehicles for scientific explora- Seven groups of students tion MAXI M U M NU M BER O F STUDENTS GRADE LEVE L 35 7-8 (Physical Science/Life Science) KEY WORDS FOCUS QUESTION ABE How can underwater robots be used to assist sci- ROPOS entific explorations? Remotely Operated Vehicle Hercules LEARNIN G OBJECTIVES Tiburon Students will be able to describe and contrast at RCV-150 least three types of underwater robots used for Robot scientific explorations. BAC kg ROUND IN F OR M ATION Students will be able to discuss the advantages In June, 2001, the Ocean Explorer Thunder Bay and disadvantages of using underwater robots in ECHO Expedition was searching for shipwrecks scientific explorations. in the deep waters of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in Given a specific exploration task, students will Lake Huron. But the explorers discovered more be able to identify robotic vehicles best suited to than shipwrecks: dozens of underwater sinkholes carry out this task. in the limestone bedrock, some of which were several hundred meters across and 20 meters MATERIA L S deep. The following year, an expedition to sur- Copies of the “Underwater Robot Capability vey the sinkholes found that some of them were Survey,” one for each student group releasing fluids that produced a visible cloudy layer above the lake bottom, and the lake floor AUDIOVISUA L MATERIA L S near some of the sinkholes was covered by con- (Optional) Computers with internet access spicuous green, purple, white, and brown mats. TEACHIN G TI M E Preliminary studies of the mats have found that One 45-minute class period, plus time for student where water is shallow (≤ 1.0 m) the mats are research composed of green algae. In deeper (about 18 m) waters, mats are formed by filamentous purple 1 Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008 - Grades 7-8 (Physical Science/Life Science) Focus: Underwater robotic vehicles for scientific exploration oceanexplorer.noaa.gov cyanobacteria. Mats near the deepest (93 m) glaciers, as well as in porous bedrocks (limestone sinkholes are white or brown, but their composi- and sandstone) that were formed much earlier tion is presently unknown. The appearance of in geologic time. Five major aquifers are recog- mats near the deepest sinkholes is very similar to nized in this region: one near the land or lake mats observed in the vicinity of cold seeps and floor surface (the surficial aquifer) and the others hydrothermal vents in the deep ocean, which are in deeper bedrock named for the geologic time often formed by chemosynthetic bacteria. These periods when they were formed (the Cambrian- bacteria are able to obtain energy from inorganic Ordovician, Silurian-Devonian, Mississippian, and chemicals, and are a food source for a variety Pennsylvanian aquifers). The bedrock that forms of other organisms that inhabit cold seep and the Silurian-Devonian aquifer is primarily lime- vent communities. Biological communities whose stone and mineral formations from evaporating primary energy source comes from chemosyn- seawater. Both fresh and saline water are found thesis are distinctly different from more familiar in the Silurian-Devonian aquifer. biological communities in shallow water and on land where photosynthetic organisms convert the Sinkholes are common features where limestone energy of sunlight to food that can be used by is abundant, because limestone rocks are soluble other species. Hydrothermal vent and cold seep in acid. Atmospheric carbon dioxide often dis- communities are home to many species of organ- solves in rainwater to form a weak acid (carbonic isms that have not been found anywhere else on acid). Rainwater flowing over land surfaces may Earth, and the existence of chemosynthetic com- also pick up organic acids produced by decay- munities in the deep ocean is one of the major ing leaves and other once-living material. The scientific discoveries of the last 100 years. resulting weak acid can slowly dissolve limestone rocks to form caves, springs, and sinkholes. Scientists hypothesize that the source of the Sinkholes on land are known recharge areas for fluids venting from the Lake Huron sinkholes is the Silurian-Devonian aquifer (areas where water the Silurian-Devonian aquifer beneath the lake’s flows into the aquifer). But very little is known sediments. Aquifers are rocks and sediments that about the chemistry, geology, and biology of contain large amounts of water. Between 350 submerged sinkholes that may serve as vents for and 430 million years ago, during the Paleozoic groundwater in the aquifer. Water samples col- era, shallow seas covered what is now the border lected near these sinkholes is very different from between Canada and the United States between the surrounding lake, with much higher concen- Minnesota and New York. Over thousands of trations of sulfate, phosphorus, and particulate years, sand, minerals, and sediments accumu- organic matter, as well as ten times more bacteria lated on the seafloor, and were gradually com- compared to nearby lake water. These observa- pressed to form sandstone, limestone and shale. tions suggest that submerged sinkholes may be About 1.8 million years ago, the Great Ice Age biogeochemical “hot spots” inhabited by unusual of the Pleistocene epoch began and continued and possibly unknown life forms. At the same until about 10,000 years ago. During this time, time, water flow through submerged sinkholes four major periods of glaciation occurred, sepa- depends upon recharge from land. This means that rated by three interglacial periods. As the final sinkhole ecosystems are likely to be very sensitive glacial period came to a close, retreating glaciers to changes in rainfall patterns that may accom- along the U.S.-Canadian border revealed five pany climate change, as well as human alterations huge lakes that we now know as the Laurentian of these landscapes surrounding recharge areas. Great Lakes. In the Great Lakes region, aquifers These factors make understanding sensitive sink- are found in deposits of sand and gravel left by hole ecosystems an urgent necessity. 2 Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008 - Grades 7-8 (Physical Science/Life Science) Focus: Underwater robotic vehicles for scientific exploration Exploration of the deepest sinkhole ecosystems 3. Tell students that their assignment is to investi- (93 m depth) would be very difficult without gate underwater robots that can be used to per- underwater robots called ROVs (which stands for form various tasks that support scientific explo- “Remotely Operated Vehicle”). These are unoc- ration of the deep ocean. Assign one of the fol- cupied robots linked by a group of cables to an lowing robots to each student group, and pro- operator who is usually aboard a surface ship. vide each group with a copy of “Underwater Most ROVs are equipped with one or more video Robot Capability Survey:” cameras and lights, and may also carry other Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) equipment such as a manipulator or cutting arm, Hercules water samplers, and measuring instruments to M-ROVER expand the vehicle’s capabilities. The Thunder Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Bay Sinkholes 2008 Expedition will use an ROV Science (ROPOS) called M-ROVER to carry sampling instruments, General Purpose Remotely Operated video and still cameras, an articulated arm for Vehicles (ROVs) sampling and other tasks, and sonar imaging RCV-150 equipment. M-ROVER is capable of speeds up to Tiburon 3-knots on the surface and 3/4 knot underwater, and is rated for a maximum depth of 450 meters. You may want to direct students to the Ocean For more information about M-ROVER, visit http:// Explorer Web pages on underwater robotic www.engin.umich.edu/dept/name/facilities/oel/mrover.html. In vehicles (see above). If students do not have this lesson, students will investigate how under- access to the internet, provide copies of the rel- water robots can be used in underwater explora- evant materials to each group. tions. 4. Have each student group present a brief oral LEARNIN G PROCEDURE report of the capabilities of their assigned 1. To prepare for this lesson: robot. The following points should be included: • Review introductory essays for the Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008 Expedition at http://ocean- Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) explorer.noaa.gov/explorations/08thunderbay/welcome.html. • Capable of operating to depths up to 5,000 • Review the Ocean Explorer Web pages on meters underwater robotic vehicles, indexed at http:// • Autonomous vehicle; no tether to support ship oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs/subs.html; and • Tools: video cameras, conductivity and tem- • Review information about M-ROVER at http:// perature sensors, depth recorder, magnetom- www.engin.umich.edu/dept/name/facilities/oel/mrover.html eter, sonar, wax core sampler, navigation system If students do not have access to the internet, • Developed to monitor underwater areas over make copies of relevant materials on underwa- a long period of time ter robotic vehicles from the Web sites refer- • Follows instructions programmed prior to enced above. launch; data are not available until robot is recovered 2. Briefly introduce the Thunder Bay Sinkholes • Operates independently during missions, but Expedition, highlighting the discovery of flu- requires technicians and engineers for main- ids emerging from sinkholes on the lake floor, tenance, as well as data