Remote Underwater Exploration
2024 expeditions by Schmidt Ocean Institute has already identified an incredible, colourful array of deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, squat lobsters and other species considered likely new to science. Here is just a sample:
Full article at: DiverNet 24feb24
The SeaClear robot system, developed as part of a four-year European research project, can successfully remove litter from the seabed.
Consisting of a base vessel, several ROVs and an aerial drone, the system can monitor and map the sea surface to identify litter hotspots, when deploy underwater ROVs to scan and collect litter, depositing in into a specially-designed basket.
Full article at: Hellenic Shipping News 22feb24
We are constantly learning new things about marine creatures and this jellyfish is a great example. Discovered by MBARI in the Pacific Ocean, this jellyfish can grow up to 1m in diameter and grabs its prey with “arms” instead of stinging tentacles.
Almost any ROV technician will have a story of a near miss, an entanglement or a lost vehicle. About 6 months ago, Ran, an autonomous underwater vehicle, was lost while exploring under Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica (a.k.a Doomsday Glacier).
Not long before Ran got lost, it had been able to return some amazing maps of the underside of a glacier, giving scientists new insights into the interactions between the ice, fractures within it and water flowing beneath it.
Full article at: The U.S. Sun 02feb24 and Marine Technology News 02aug24
A new deep sea octopus species was discovered by Schmidt Ocean Institute off the coast of Costa Rica by using an ROV to explore seamounts (underwater mountains) at depths of ~3100m (almost 2 miles)
Full article at: Nature World News 18jan2024