Overview
The concept of the ARGOMARINE project was the monitoring of marine traffic due to carriers and commercial ships through environmentally sensitive sea areas. This monitoring was realised by means of sophisticated electronic, geo-positioning, and telematic tools connected through a high speed network along with data transmission through suitable data links. Data from different sources is collected in an independent and remote fashion and sent to a main acquisition and elaboration central unit.
Motivation and scope of the ARGOMARINE project was the safe detection, notification and interventions on vessels in emergency situations and the protection of sea and insular environment, endangered by heavy and continuous activities, mainly due to intensive ship traffic, generating a consistent pollution risk.
The envisaged goal was connected to the necessity of precise and punctual pollution control in areas and shores which are, for instance, of particular naturalistic value, and/or are exposed to risk of accidental or even intentional contamination due to their vicinity to industrial or highly densely populated settlements, or crossed by a heavy ship traffic.
All the data and the information obtained collected during the project will be merged and elaborated in a Marine Information System (MIS), i.e. an information system where remote sensing data, field experiment results and estimates from simulation models are integrated, and tools for data storage and retrieval, data manipulation and analysis, as well as for presentation, will be available through a common interface.
Funding
Results
WP1 (SAR imaging and analysis) is dedicated to imaging, and analysis by using SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar). Long term SAR data comes from satellite-hosted platforms. Meanwhile, new methods were implemented and tested for detection of oil spills and classification of surface phenomena in multipolarisation high-resolution SAR images.
WP2 (Hyperspectral-Thermal Analysis) is concerned with hyperspectral and thermal infrared image analysis (by using CASI-Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager, spectroradiometer, TABI thermal airborne broadband imager, and satellite image if available), Airborne sensors have been operated and hosted on mobile platforms (helicopter/vessel). Appropriate methodology and algorithms have been developed for oil spill type and thickness detection. Hyperspectral and thermal analysis is supported by in-situ measurements. The methodology has been tested and evaluated through project test activities.
WP3 (Electronic Nose) was devoted to the application of Electronic Nose technology to the monitoring of oil/hydrocarbons spills in marine environment. E-nose technology has been adapted to this specific goal, and the sensor has been engineered to be remotely controlled, hosted both on an autonomous buoy and aboard of a AUV.
WP4 (Underwater Monitoring Technologies) are dedicated to the development of underwater monitoring technologies which are used for both preventive action to detect possible unauthorised access to a sensitive protected area (i.e., a marine park), and environmental monitoring and post-accident action to detect and localise oil spillage in a confined area by using AUVs.
In the WP5 (Mathematical Modelling) a mathematical modelling system has been set up and applied to the study sites. The system is linked to external operational forecast data products already available for the Mediterranean Sea. Such modelling is strictly linked with MIS and its Decision Support System.
The ARGO-Geomatrix platform was developed through the WP6 (The ARGO-Geomatrix Platform and the integrated communication system). The purpose was to set up and realise a telecommunication infrastructure able to: 1) guarantee efficient transport of general purpose information through means of propagation, 2) give full support to several communication devices, high level protocols, and 3) give full and accurate information about the position of each operator (either prepared specialists or casual user) in the End-User (PNAT and NMPZ partners) context (environment).
In WP
Innovation aspects
All the data and the information obtained will be merged and elaborated in a Marine Information System (MIS), i.e. an information system where remote sensing data, field experiment results and estimates from simulation models can be integrated, and tools for data storage and retrieval, data manipulation and analysis, as well as for presentation, are available through a common interface.
From August 2012, anyone who sails the sea for work or passion can download a simple mobile application to signal the presence of oil spills at sea.
Strategy targets
Secure transport