3D adaptive ocean sampling with improved maximum differential method

In this paper, the authors present a novel method for adaptive ocean sampling using ocean sampling platforms equipped with multiple sensors in different positions. The sampling platforms can move in the ocean freely in six directions which are left, right, upper, down, former and behind. Taking the temperature sampling as an example, we establish the virtual environment of three-dimensional (3D) ocean sampling, so as to simulate the ocean sampling region by sampling platforms. The adaptive sampling algorithm can be divided into three important steps including collecting scientific data, mapping the sampling area and utilizing IMDM in ocean sampling. The authors obtain the optimizing sampling path of sampling platforms by the method of analyzing the sampling data and using the IMDM. The results of simulation experiments have demonstrated the feasibility and validity of the proposed adaptive ocean sampling of the single sampling platform and multiple platforms in 3D environment and the proposed method is meaningful and applicable in the ocean sampling field.