An Interdisciplinary Marine Research Programme: How to promote generative interaction between marine scientists, modellers and engineers

This paper describes the background, idea, objectives and preliminary outcome of a programme aimed at coordinating the efforts of established research institutions working within marine engineering, marine mathematical modelling and marine biological science at NTNU in Trondheim, Norway. The programme, MODTEQ (MOdel based Development and Testing of advanced marine EQuipment), aspires to establish permanent axes for productive marine collaboration by forming channels that facilitate cross-disciplinary exchange of marine scientific knowledge, expertise and research facilities. An interdisciplinary research team that works at the interface between marine science and technology should emerge, focusing on marine model-based development and testing of advanced scientific and industrial equipment. Our approach to form such a team is presented, and its potential is substantiated. Accomplishments and the efforts required to make them are evaluated next. Identified methodologies are presented. Coordinated development of technical field research equipment and constellations of such equipment is described, along with results from sea trials in the Trondheim Fjord and Antarctica. A compact water sampling unit for autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) deployment is introduced. Remote sensing is brought in through participation in the European Community programme SISCAL (Satellite-based Information System on Coastal Areas and Lakes). A system is being developed that facilitates assimilation of field observation data into a coupled hydrodynamic and ecological model of the fjord.