"What happens in the vast, deep ocean, out of sight and beyond the reach of sunlight and satellites?" asks chief scientist Chris German. He is on a mission, with his team at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to find out. They developed Sentry, a robotic underwater vehicle used for exploring the deep ocean.
Deep-sea robots —
"What happens in the vast, deep ocean, out of sight and beyond the reach of sunlight and satellites?" asks chief scientist Chris German. He is on a mission, with his team at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to find out. They developed Sentry, a robotic underwater vehicle used for exploring the deep ocean.
Courtesy Chris German/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives
The development of new technology is crucial to our understanding of this vastly unexplored realm. Researchers use Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to examine hydrothermal vents up to 5km below the surface.
Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean —
The development of new technology is crucial to our understanding of this vastly unexplored realm. Researchers use Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to examine hydrothermal vents up to 5km below the surface.
Courtesy Chris German/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
At the scene of German's latest explorations, newly-discovered vents on the Mid-Cayman Rise, the dominant fauna is a new species of blind shrimp that feed on microbes fuelled by the chemical energy released from Earth's interior. The shrimp, in turn, are devoured by shrimp-eating anemones.
Mid-Cayman Rise, Caribbean Sea —
At the scene of German's latest explorations, newly-discovered vents on the Mid-Cayman Rise, the dominant fauna is a new species of blind shrimp that feed on microbes fuelled by the chemical energy released from Earth's interior. The shrimp, in turn, are devoured by shrimp-eating anemones.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Fueled by chemical energy released from the earth's interior, lush ecosystems thrive at hydrothermal vents. Here, the suction-tube sampler of the Institution's ROV collects a sample of tiny snails.
ROV Jason —
Fueled by chemical energy released from the earth's interior, lush ecosystems thrive at hydrothermal vents. Here, the suction-tube sampler of the Institution's ROV collects a sample of tiny snails.
Courtesy Chris German/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
In 1977, the development of new technology allowed the human-occupied vehicle, "Alvin" to explore a volcanic ridge 2500 meters below sea-level. "This discovery changed our understanding of how life can function here on Earth and opened entirely new fields of research," says German.
'Alvin' in Miami, Florida 1967 —
In 1977, the development of new technology allowed the human-occupied vehicle, "Alvin" to explore a volcanic ridge 2500 meters below sea-level. "This discovery changed our understanding of how life can function here on Earth and opened entirely new fields of research," says German.
Courtesy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives
We still have more than 75% of the 55,000 kilometer-long volcanic ridge system to explore. These vents could shed light on how life first originated and are home to minerals that could be essential resources for us in the future.
Alvin with two support swimmers —
We still have more than 75% of the 55,000 kilometer-long volcanic ridge system to explore. These vents could shed light on how life first originated and are home to minerals that could be essential resources for us in the future.
Courtesy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives
This deep-sea angler fish was collected by a submersible. Just three inches long but fierce-looking, it has a long spine tipped with bioluminescent tissue that it can dangle in front of its mouth.
Deep-sea angler fish —
This deep-sea angler fish was collected by a submersible. Just three inches long but fierce-looking, it has a long spine tipped with bioluminescent tissue that it can dangle in front of its mouth.
Courtesy Larry Madin/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Alvin pilot Bruce Strickrott encountered a docile deep-sea octopus 2,300 meters down in the Gulf of Mexico. Instead of swimming away, it grabbed the submersible's robotic arm, normally used for picking up samples of seafloor rocks and organisms.
Deep-sea octopus —
Alvin pilot Bruce Strickrott encountered a docile deep-sea octopus 2,300 meters down in the Gulf of Mexico. Instead of swimming away, it grabbed the submersible's robotic arm, normally used for picking up samples of seafloor rocks and organisms.
Courtesy Bruce Strickrott/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The deepest known point of Earth's seafloor is Challenger Deep. Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh were the first humans to venture to these parts in 1960 in their underwater vehicle the Trieste. This was only achieved again last year by director James Cameron in Deepsea Challenger.
Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard —
The deepest known point of Earth's seafloor is Challenger Deep. Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh were the first humans to venture to these parts in 1960 in their underwater vehicle the Trieste. This was only achieved again last year by director James Cameron in Deepsea Challenger.
AFP/Getty Images
For scientists to truly examine ocean trenches such as Challenger Deep we need to develop increasingly autonomous deep-sea vehicles that return with useful samples of life below. According to German, the resultant knowledge could help us cope with global challenges such as climate change, resource depletion and pollution.
Preparing Alvin and Sentry for descent —
For scientists to truly examine ocean trenches such as Challenger Deep we need to develop increasingly autonomous deep-sea vehicles that return with useful samples of life below. According to German, the resultant knowledge could help us cope with global challenges such as climate change, resource depletion and pollution.
Courtesy Mark Spear/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole Oceanograhic Institution's Nereus is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that operates as a free-swimming robot to conduct surveys and close-up investigations of seafloor organisms. It reached Challenger Deep in 2009 and in 2014 will be used to conduct the first systematic study of life in ocean trenches.
Hybrid remotely operated vehicle Nereus —
Woods Hole Oceanograhic Institution's Nereus is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that operates as a free-swimming robot to conduct surveys and close-up investigations of seafloor organisms. It reached Challenger Deep in 2009 and in 2014 will be used to conduct the first systematic study of life in ocean trenches.
Courtesy Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution