Review of Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (AUV) Developments 
THE COMMISSION FOR GEOSCIENCES, ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES (CGER) [44] 
The Commission for Geosciences, Environment, and Resources (CGER) oversees and 
coordinates the activities of the National Research Council in the broad areas of atmospheric 
sciences and climate, oceanography, solid-earth sciences, radioactive waste management, 
polar research, environmental science and toxicology, natural disasters, and water science. 
The National Research Council (NRC) is the principal operating agency of the National 
Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering and serves as an independent 
advisor on scientific and technical questions of national importance. CGER manages the efforts 
of the following boards: 
Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) 
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR) 
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST) 
Board on Radioactive Waste Management (BRWM) 
Natural Disasters Roundtable (NDR) 
Ocean Studies Board (OSB) 
Polar Research Board (PRB) 
Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) 
Of particular importance to AUV developments is the work performed under the leadership of 
the OSB. OSB was established by the NRC to advise the Federal government on issues of 
ocean science, engineering, and policy. In addition to exercising leadership within the ocean 
community, the OSB undertakes studies at the request of Federal agencies, Congress, or other 
sponsors, or upon its own initiative. The OSB explores the science, policies, and infrastructure 
needed to understand and protect coastal and marine environments and resources. The Board 
provides an open forum for those interested in ocean issues to bring technical and policy 
concerns for discussion and possible action. A primary responsibility of the Board is to initiate 
studies and ensure that they are carried out successfully. As appropriate, studies can be 
developed and overseen jointly with other NRC Boards. In selecting projects, the OSB attempts 
to be responsive to the requests of sponsors while also engaging in proactive activities related 
to ocean sciences, engineering, and policy. 
A recent project completed is “Sea Floor Observatories: Challenges and Opportunities.” The 
final report entitled, "Illuminating the Hidden Planet: The Future of Sea Floor Observatory 
Science," discusses the scientific merit of, technical requirements for, and overall feasibility of 
establishing the infrastructure needed to implement a system of sea floor observatories. 
Recently, many sea floor observatory programs have been discussed or proposed. This study 
assesses the extent to which sea floor observatories will address future requirements for 
conducting multi-disciplinary ocean research and attempt to gauge the level of support for such 
programs within ocean science and the broader scientific community. This report highlights the 
use of AUVs in sea floor observatory projects. 
60 
