  During the research cruise AL547 with RV ALKOR (October 20-31, 2020), a
collaborative underwater network of ocean observation systems was deployed in
Boknis Eck (SW Baltic Sea, German exclusive economic zone (EEZ)) in the context
of the project ARCHES (Autonomous Robotic Networks to Help Modern Societies).
This network was realized via a Digital Twin Prototype approach. During that
period different scenarios were executed to demonstrate the feasibility of
Digital Twins in an extreme environment such as underwater. One of the
scenarios showed the collaboration of stage IV Digital Twins with their
physical counterparts on the seafloor. This way, we address the research
question, whether Digital Twins represent a feasible approach to operate mobile
ad hoc networks for ocean and coastal observation.
