From simulation to validation: Moth-inspired chemical plume tracing with an autonomous underwater vehicle

Chemical plume tracing capability is important for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to perform a variety of ocean exploration and exploitation missions. For studying and validating moth-inspired chemical plume tracing algorithms, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences developed an AUV equipped with multiple sensors, including an underwater fluorometer and a Doppler velocity log (DVL). Based on the AUV´s dynamics and its path-following capability, a path-following based algorithm implementation of the moth-inspired chemical plume tracing strategy was developed. To validate the algorithm, computer simulation and field experiments were conducted. This paper presents the path-following based algorithm of the moth-inspired chemical plume tracing strategy and the systematic study on the algorithm, from computer simulation via proper numerical plumes, to field experiments with the AUV and Rhodamine dye plumes performed at Dalian Bay, China in 2010.