Underwater robot tracks toxic algae in Lake Erie
August 28, 2018 by Kim Fulton-Bennett, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Microcystin is a nasty toxin that can cause skin reactions, stomach problems, and even liver damage. It's produced by a tiny blue-green alga (cyanobacteria) called Microcystis, which multiplies like crazy in warm, nutrient-rich water. Unfortunately, Microcystis blooms are becoming increasingly common in the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water for millions of people. This month researchers from MBARI and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are testing a new underwater robot that will swim around Lake Erie measuring the amount of microcystin and algae in the water, and send its findings back to shore in real time.
The robot is one of MBARI's long-range autonomous underwater vehicles (LRAUVs). At about 30 centimeters (one foot) in diameter and 230 centimeters (7.5 feet) long, it looks like a small, yellow and orange torpedo. But it is much slower than a torpedo and is designed specifically to spend weeks in the water collecting scientific data.
Read more at:
https://phys.org/news/2018-08-underwater-robot-tracks-toxic-algae.html#jCp
