INTRODUCTION
How much do we know about the ocean? A vast amount of the ocean remains undiscovered, it has been stated that about 20% of the sea has been discovered leaving 80% a mystery. The introduction of technology has made a major impact on the exploration of the sea.
Humans have always been fascinated by the ocean and historically, the first ocean explorers were from ancient Greece and China around 5000BC, they explored for commercial and economic purposes. Modern oceanography began only in the 18th century. Ferdinando Marsili an Italian Scientist is today considered the father of modern oceanography. He carried out extensive research and investigation on life in the sea.
Deep-sea areas are home to unique ecosystems and provide valuable energy and minerals. Exploring and mapping the oceans will help us better understand Earth’s processes, such as tectonics, marine hazards, and natural resources. With this knowledge, we can manage and use ocean resources more sustainably. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) systems would achieve these quickly and with fewer casualties recorded. This article seeks to uncover the utilisation of artificial intelligence in deep-sea search.
IMPORTANCE OF DEEP WATER SEARCH
Deep water search is critical today for understanding aquatic life and locating and retrieving treasured objects that have been lost or treasures that are yet to be discovered at the depths of the sea. There are various reasons why deep-water search is very important some of which include scientific discovery, economic purposes and also for the sake of technology innovations. We shall critically delve into some of the importance of deep-sea search.
- Advancement of scientific knowledge: the study and exploration of the deep ocean aids in the advancement of science. It gives researchers an understanding of life in the great depths. The ocean is home to many species some have been discovered while others are yet to be discovered. As earlier stated, over 80% of the ocean has remained undiscovered. We must explore these areas so we can benefit from them or be aware of situations where they can cause potential damage to our world. Furthermore, an understanding of the ocean can advance our understanding of the ocean ecosystems, geology and chemistry.
- Economic value: the exploration of the ocean can aid in the discovery of objects like sunken ships, aircraft black boxes and underwater vehicles. These exploitations have also proven to be of great value in discovering and mining critical resources that can help in the advancement of our society. Some of these discoveries can also be used for pharmaceutical developments.
- It fosters safety: while exploring the ocean, various shocking discoveries have been made in the past and these discoveries raise questions for a way forward. Making such findings aids humans in also making conclusions on how to avoid or prevent further damages that can be caused by these discoveries. For instance, Ocean exploration has led scientists to study some of the major triggers of tsunamis and other natural disasters and also ways to prevent these disasters.
UTILISATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN DEEP WATER SEARCH
In light of the human use and exploitation of marine resources, marine research has evolved. As technology advances, artificial intelligence (AI) systems are being used frequently in marine research. This has aided in improving conventional marine forecasting models and observation methods. As noted earlier, oceans were first studied and explored centuries ago, and explorations were basically for military and economic purposes.
Over time, humans have gained awareness of the aquatic ecosystem, through intensive research and exploitation of these areas. The introduction of technology today has aided this process significantly. It is crucial to further note that ocean data volume has increased by 40% as a result of today’s rapid rise in ocean information, this highlights significant improvement in how much knowledge humans have been able to gather on ocean life through utilising these systems. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI)-related technologies have also benefited the marine industry, such as machine learning, deep learning, and pattern recognition.
Today, machines that can see underwater and those that use intelligent remote sensing have all been made possible by artificial intelligence (AI) and the era of “big data”. Scientists often employ these tools, which provide the basis for ocean identification and forecasting. Rebuilding data is necessary since a large number of marine observational records are either missing or insufficient. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) tools can accurately reproduce and fix errors or problems with lacking data. Also, with the aid of predictive analysis, these machines are used to locate missing objects in the deep sea and identify objects in the sea or the locations of these objects. For instance, there is an increasing interest in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
Also, oceanic physical processes, such as internal waves, heat waves, and eddies, significantly impact Earth’s climate, marine ecology, and human activities. Artificial intelligence algorithms are used to detect and recognize these phenomena, and they are categorized into physics-driven numerical models, model-driven statistical models, classical machine learning models, data-driven deep learning models, and physical models mixed with AI models. At the moment, data-driven deep learning systems that are often employed in marine element forecasting include Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM), and ConvLSTM. However, these methods cannot take the role of traditional numerical modelling techniques because of the insufficient accessibility and physical constraints of AI. Some results have been obtained by integrating physical representations with AI, and scientific issues can be improved by utilizing data-driven models in combination with the laws of physics. Data sets and settings must be optimized for AI systems to function better.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the utilisation of artificial intelligence systems in deep water search is crucial today. It fosters swift and effective exploration of the deep ocean. About 71 per cent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. It is therefore safe to say that the ocean covers most of the earth’s surface. With the introduction of artificial intelligence, it is predicted that more grounds will be covered, and more discoveries will be made that will significantly impact society positively.
Author(s) Name: Wisdom Agbonyehemen (Bowen University)
