University of Western Australia Explores Perth Canyon with ROV

By Caroline Rees / 13 Mar 2015

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

Perth Canyon Comanche ROVThe University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute has announced that it has completed a successful two-week mission to Perth Canyon, a deep ocean gorge the size of the USA’s Grand Canyon. During this time, a group of scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to discover unusual deep-sea ecosystems as well as an autonomous ocean glider that was lost for two years.

The underwater canyon starts about 30 kilometres off the coast of Fremantle and extends out from the continental shelf edge of WA to depths of more than four kilometres to the abyssal sea floor. It probably formed more than a hundred million years ago when an ancient version of the Swan River cut the canyon during rifting that separated WA from India. The now submerged canyon is important as it acts as a conduit into the deep oceans with upwelling providing essential nutrients to make it a marine hotspot, attracting blue whales and other large fauna that migrate to the waters seasonally to feed.

Until this expedition, the canyon has been relatively unstudied. However, Falkor’s state-of-the-art mapping systems and an ROV that could penetrate depths of more than 2000 metres allowed the research team to examine the canyon. Chief Expeditioner, Professor Malcolm McCulloch, said the team, which included researchers from the Western Australian Museum, CSIRO and the Institute of Marine Sciences in Italy, had travelled more than 1800 kilometers in order to map the 400 square kilometres of the canyon and had recorded its maximum depth at 4276 metres.

“We have discovered near pristine sheer drop cliffs of over 600 metres and mapped structures that are rarely found in other parts of the ocean,” said Professor McCulloch. “It is truly a huge canyon which has cliff faces and outcrops similar to the Grand Canyon but now submerged beneath the ocean and extending to depth of more than 4 kilometers. It is at a depth where light can’t penetrate, making a dark water column where there are no signs of light from above or below.”

It’s in these cryptic dark spaces where Professor McCulloch’s team discovered a surprising deep-sea community of corals and other organisms that survives in darkness and clings to the hard rock of the canyon’s walls at 1600 metres below the surface. Organisms such as venus flytrap anemones, brisingid seastars, golden coral, basket star and mushroom soft corals, have only been sporadically encountered before in this area although they have been found in other parts of the world’s deep oceans.

The team will now analyse these deep-sea corals to find out their age, how fast they grow and whether the conditions in the water column may have changed due to the effects of global warming or ocean acidification. Analysing the samples collected by the ROV means the team will better understand the deep-sea history recorded by these organisms and their future capacity to cope with the pressures of climate change.

Besides giving researchers the chance to learn more about the Perth Canyon, the work will also help to better understand the likely threats to other deep ecosystems in the region and similar environments worldwide. The expedition also leads the way to show how the use of modern technology can unlock the secrets of the deep-sea habitats that lie at our door-step.

Another exciting find was the previously ‘lost’ autonomous ocean glider that went missing on an assignment as part of the Integrated Marine Observing System near the Perth Canyon over two years ago. Scientists discovered the bright-yellow vehicle on the Canyon floor at a depth of over 700 metres. Professor of Coastal Oceanography, Chari Pattiaratchi said the discovery of the seaglider was an unexpected discovery and a cause for celebration aboard the ship.

Falkor will remain in port for a few short days before embarking on her next destination to Scott Reef to test various underwater robotics vehicles to better improve ocean exploration.

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

SightLine Software & Hardware Advancements for Enhanced ISR Applications

SightLine Applications LLC introduces the 3.9.2 update, enhancing the 4100 video processor and unveiling the ultra-compact 1710 processor for advanced ISR applications

Jul 16, 2025
Silicon Sensing’s MEMS Technology Enhances Vehicle Localization for Autonomous Driving

The University of Toronto investigated approaches to determining spatial awareness in autonomous vehicles, with Silicon Sensing's DMU41 IMU succeeding in cost-effectiveness, reliability and accuracy

Jul 16, 2025
CHC Navigation Launches AU20 MMS for Precision LiDAR Mapping of Infrastructure

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has unveiled the AU20 MMS, a vehicle-mounted mobile mapping system designed for accurate and efficient collection of 3D spatial data

Jul 16, 2025
ZIYAN to Highlight UAV Coordination & Unmanned Helicopter Solutions at IDEF 2025

ZIYAN Tech will unveil its latest combat UAV technologies at IDEF 2025, highlighting advanced swarm coordination, ISR systems, and unmanned helicopter capabilities

Jul 16, 2025
Boosting First Responder Drones with Advanced BVLOS Technology

DroneSense and MatrixSpace partner to enhance BVLOS capabilities, accelerating the safe, scalable use of drones in public safety and Drone as First Responder missions

Jul 16, 2025
TEKEVER Advancing Defense & Civil Security Drones with Cahors Centre of Excellence

Tekever will establish a new dual-use Centre of Excellence in Cahors, France to develop, test, integrate and industrialize autonomous defense and security technologies

Jul 16, 2025

Featured Content

SBG Systems Evaluates INS Performance in GNSS-Denied Marine Applications

SBG Systems evaluates the performance of its INS solutions in GNSS-denied marine environments, comparing system accuracy with and without DVL and warm-up support

Jul 14, 2025
USAF Uses Inertial Labs Drone Lidar for Tree Obstruction Survey

The US Air Force successfully used Inertial Labs drone Lidar and cloud software to quickly map tree obstructions at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), improving airfield safety

Jul 11, 2025
New UAV to Combine Solar Hydrogen & Battery Power for Extended Flight

XSun and H3 Dynamics are developing the first UAV powered by solar, hydrogen, and batteries, aiming to deliver zero-emission, long-endurance unmanned flight

Jul 07, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.