Shanghai researchers reaching new depths
Print Edition
THREE unmanned deep-sea devices reached depths of more than 10,000 meters when they completed tests in the Pacific, Chinese researchers said yesterday.
Cui Weicheng, director of Hadal Life Science Research Center at Shanghai Ocean University, led a team to carry out research at Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in the Mariana Trench, which is itself the deepest part of the world’s oceans.
The group began its mission on December 3, traveling on the Zhang Jian, a research vessel with three deep-sea landing devices and one unmanned submersible on board, all capable of diving 10,000 meters.
From December 25 to 27, the three deep-sea landing devices descended into the trench, Cui said. The first took photographs, the second brought back sediment samples and the third biological samples.
All three submersibles reached more than 10,000 meters into the trench and the third device brought back 103 tiny creatures known as amphipods.
“The successful sea test marks another step in China’s deep-sea research,” Cui said.
Globally, there are 26 hadal trenches, defined as those with depths of 6,500 meters or more.
They are home to many unknown species as well as energy and metal resources.
In August, China’s unmanned submersible Haidou-1 reached to a depth of 10,767 meters at the Mariana Trench, setting a new record for the country.
China is the third country after Japan and the US to build submersibles capable of reaching such depths.
Scientists forecast China will have a manned submersible capable of diving to depths of 10,000 meters by 2019 or 2020.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
