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Deep-Sea Machines
Part 2 (back to Part 1)
Johnson Sea Link
In 1971, the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce, Florida
built this nine-ton, 23-foot long acrylic and aluminum submersible for marine science
research. Its applications include mid-water observation, collection of
organisms, dump-site inspections, and archaeological site documentation and
artifact recovery. The forward sphere holds the pilot and an observer while an
additional crew member and observer can occupy the after-observation chamber.
In order to illuminate underwater scenes for photography and observation,
Harbor Branch developed sunlight-simulating xenon arc lights. In 1973, while being used by another institution, the
submersible became tangled in the cables of the sunken destroyer Fred T. Berry. It
was trapped for over 24 hours before the rescue vessel A.B. Wood retrieved it
with a grappling hook. Sadly, two of the four crew members had died of
suffocation. A second Johnson Sea Link was built in 1975.
Nautile
Nautile is a French submersible operated by the French Institute of Research
and Exploitation of the Sea (known by the acronym IFREMER). Holding a crew of
three, it is highly maneuverable and includes a small, telecontrolled robot
called Robin that can inspect and image areas inaccessible to the submersible
itself. Data and imagery from the deep may be sent to the surface via an
acoustic transmission unit. In 1987, Nautile, whose manipulation system
includes two mechanical arms and a retractable sampling basket, was used to
recover thousands of artifacts from the Titanic.
MIR-1 and MIR-2
The submersibles MIR-1 and MIR-2 were built in 1987 and are operated by the
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Russia. Each vehicle has an iron-nickel
battery with a capacity of 100 kilowatts, which is twice as much as is
available for other submersibles in the same dive range (to 19,800 feet). The
Mirs' high power capacity allows them to undertake underwater work schedules of
17 to 20 hours. Both submersibles carry up to eight 1,200-watt
halogen-mercury-iodine lights, which helped them film scenes of the Titanic for
the blockbuster Hollywood movie. The Mirs have also been used to explore
hydrothermal vents and observe the wreck of the Russian nuclear submarine
Komsomolets.
Deep Flight
Hawkes Ocean Technologies of Point Richmond, California is currently designing
a new class of lightweight submersibles for ocean exploration and filming.
Their first prototype, Deep Flight I, is a one-man submersible shaped like a
miniature spaceship. The pilot, who must lie face forward in the plastic nose
cone, controls depth by manipulating the external aft wings with small
joysticks. Due to its winged design and increased thrust, Deep Flight I is
capable of traveling up to 10 knots. Though it is several times faster than
traditional submersibles, it can only dive to 3,300 feet. Hawkes is currently
developing Deep Flight II, which will be able to achieve the greater depths
needed for scientific research in the deep sea.
Jennifer Uscher is Production Assistant of NOVA Online.
Discoveries in the Abyss |
Deep Sea Machines |
Vents of the World
Photos: (1) Ralph White/Corbis;
(2,3) ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution;
(4,5) Ralph White;
(6) ©1994 Mark Conlin/Mo Yung Productions;
(7) Copyright ©1998 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc.;
(8,9) U.S. Navy Historical Center;
(10) IFREMER;
(11) ©1997 Norbert Wu;
(12) Hawkes Ocean Technologies using Mechanical Desktop 2.0.
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