The deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) layer is an ecologically important feature of the open ocean. The DCM cannot be observed using aerial or satellite remote sensing; thus, in situ observations are essential. Further, understanding the responses of microbes to the environmental processes driving their metabolism and interactions requires observing in a reference frame that moves with a plankton population drifting in ocean currents, i.e., Lagrangian. Here, we report the development and application of a system of coordinated robots for studying planktonic biological communities drifting within the ocean. The presented Lagrangian system uses three coordinated autonomous robotic platforms. The focal platform consists of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) fitted with a robotic water sampler. This platform localizes and drifts within a DCM community, periodically acquiring samples while continuously monitoring the local environment. The second platform is an AUV equipped with environmental sensing and acoustic tracking capabilities. This platform characterizes environmental conditions by tracking the focal platform and vertically profiling in its vicinity. The third platform is an autonomous surface vehicle equipped with satellite communications and subsea acoustic tracking capabilities. While also acoustically tracking the focal platform, this vehicle serves as a communication relay that connects the subsea robot to human operators, thereby providing situational awareness and enabling intervention if needed. Deployed in the North Pacific Ocean within the core of a cyclonic eddy, this coordinated system autonomously captured fundamental characteristics of the in situ DCM microbial community in a manner not possible previously.

深层叶绿素最大值 (DCM) 层是公海的重要生态特征。不能使用航空或卫星遥感观测 DCM；因此，实地观察是必不可少的。此外，了解微生物对驱动其新陈代谢和相互作用的环境过程的反应需要在一个参考系中观察，该参考系随着洋流中漂流的浮游生物种群而移动，即拉格朗日。在这里，我们报告了用于研究在海洋中漂流的浮游生物群落的协调机器人系统的开发和应用。所提出的拉格朗日系统使用三个协调的自主机器人平台。焦点平台由配备机器人水采样器的自主水下航行器 (AUV) 组成。该平台在 DCM 社区内定位和漂移，定期采集样本，同时持续监测当地环境。第二个平台是配备环境传感和声学跟踪功能的 AUV。该平台通过跟踪焦点平台并在其附近进行垂直剖面分析来表征环境条件。第三个平台是配备卫星通信和海底声学跟踪能力的自主水面车辆。在对焦点平台进行声学跟踪的同时，该车辆还充当通信中继器，将海底机器人与人类操作员连接起来，从而提供态势感知并在需要时进行干预。部署在北太平洋的气旋涡流核心内，