AUVsAUV Mission in the Great LakesBy Eric Haunrecent ? rst-of-its-kind mis- tists better understand one of the world’s carved out by glaciers thousands of sion to the Great Lakes in- largest and most complex freshwater en- years ago and today stretch across an cluded the deployment of a vironments. expansive 246,000 square kilometers, A long-range autonomous un- The ? ve Great Lakes (Erie, Huron, holding an estimated 20 percent of the derwater vehicle (AUV) to help scien- Michigan, Ontario and Superior) were world’s freshwater. The Lakes’ vital role MBARI engineer Brian Kieft with researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on board the USGS vessel with the Tethys LRAUV, in the southern portion of Lake Michigan(Credit: Brett Hobson © 2016 MBARI)(Credit: Brett Hobson © 2016 MBARI) November/December 201614 MTRMTR #9 (1-17).indd 14 MTR #9 (1-17).indd 14 12/8/2016 1:44:06 PM12/8/2016 1:44:06 PM