Marine environmental observation through autonomous robotic platforms

The main objective of the research activity described in this thesis is the development of methodologies and procedures to carry out observing operations of transient phenomena in critical marine environments through the use of autonomous robotic platforms for the acquisition of physical and bio-geo-chemical parameters and for the seabed characterisation. The particularity of this work consists in a strong connection with metrology together with observing methodologies, based on robotic platforms, adjustable according to the specific marine environment being studied, in order to obtain results that are reliable, reproducible and comparable with those obtained through the classic monitoring methodologies. The environments in which the tests were executed are particularly dynamic, sensitive and fragile areas where it is necessary to study and apply particular methodologies to observe phenomena strongly localised in space and requiring very high resolutions, in time. Moreover, the critical conditions may present some risks not only for the data acquisition but also for the instrumentation and the operators. This is the case, for instance, of polar marine environment in the proximity of tidal glaciers and of Tyrrhenian Sea in areas characterized by seabed degassing activities, where monitoring procedures using robotic platforms can allow the safe observation of not repeatable and not completely predictable events.