Into The Deep With Robots

Standing on a beach looking out to sea leads most of us to ponder the question, “I wonder what is out there?” The explorers among us grab a mask and snorkel to see for ourselves. Warm, sunny waters invite hands-on exploration, making for enjoyable vacations, but what about the vast majority of the oceans deeper than 40 meters (131 feet) and beyond the range of most SCUBA divers. Technological advances, driven by the military and the oil industry, have given archaeologists new tools to take them deeper. As a result, ocean exploration is becoming increasingly robotic.

- Matthew Lawrence

Robots allow archaeologists to locate and investigate shipwrecks and other submerged archaeological sites at depths beyond that 40-meter-easily accessible depth. Robotic explorers generally fall into two categories, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Each type of vehicle has specific capabilities that make it better suited to certain kinds of research.

Secrets in the Deep 

So, why would archaeologists want to spend the time and effort needed to locate and study a shipwreck in water deeper than they can reach by diving? Shipwrecks in the deep ocean can yield information about their place of origin or their early history that has not been scrambled by the effects of waves. Fragile artifacts are also more intact when they have escaped wave action. Not surprisingly, shipwrecks beyond the reach of scuba divers also have better site integrity. Shipwrecks found in shallow waters are often like a book with its pages jumbled or ripped out.