Evaluating the Applications and the Growing Importance of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) in Marine Geophysical Survey

Abstract

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) serve a broad spectrum of purposes in marine geoscience and oceanography, and are increasingly utilized across scientific, military, commercial, and policy domains. Their capacity to function independently of support vessels makes them ideal for exploring challenging environments, such as the deepest hydrothermal vents and areas beneath polar ice. Beyond their autonomy, AUVs are highly efficient at collecting vast amounts of high-resolution, precise, and accurate data in a very short period, making them powerful tools in underwater exploration. AUVs have significantly advanced our ability to image the seafloor, offering seafloor mapping data of higher resolution than what surface vessels can achieve—especially in deep-sea settings. This review highlights the role of AUVs in acquiring electric and magnetic field data for geophysical surveys and subsea structure inspections. It underscores how AUV-based technologies are transforming deep-sea robotic exploration, particularly under Arctic ice cover, and evaluates their growing utility in gathering geophysical information. Research has shown that AUVs are effective tools for scientific investigations beneath permanent ice sheets. However, the use of electromagnetic methods in AUV surveys remains relatively rare. The integration of self-compensating magnetometers with electric field sensors allows for the collection of comprehensive electromagnetic vector data. These data are valuable for a variety of applications, including subsea infrastructure inspection, self-potential studies, and controlled-source electromagnetic surveys. Looking ahead, advancements in AUV technology that could enhance marine geophysical monitoring include vehicles with improved hovering capabilities, extended endurance, deeper operational limits, and rapid deployment features. Additionally, the development of novel sensors will broaden the spectrum of geophysical properties that AUVs can measure, as demonstrated in the context of deep-sea robotic exploration in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean.