Underwater glider for a long-term virtual mooring

The ocean has a strong influence on global climate. With a heat capacity thousands of times greater than that of the atmosphere, it absorbs about 30 percent of the artificially emitted carbon dioxide. The glider, named Tsukuyomi after a Japanese god from old myths who governs the moon and nights, can sleep on the seafloor to extend its monitoring duration. The goal of this project, conducted in cooperation with Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, is to assess the possibility of underwater gliders for use in virtual mooring. Other methods, such as moored buoys and research vessels, also have their benefits and shortcomings. Moored buoys can conduct long-term monitoring at a fixed point, but they cannot monitor the sea environment from the seabed to the sea surface, as they generally monitor waters shallower than several hundred meters.