China's Deep Sea Ambition, Technology, Expeditions: News & Updates

[TaiShang]

China to install tsunami detection buoys in South China Sea
Xinhua, June 11, 2016

China plans to install tsunami detection buoys in the South China Sea and waters east of the Ryukyu Trench and Taiwan Island.

They will be linked to international tsunami warning networks, providing early warnings for China's east and south coasts and nearby countries, said Yuan Ye, director of the tsunami warning center of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), earlier this week.

Some buoys have been installed west of the Manila Trench, which has the potential to generate a tsunami event in the South China Sea, Yuan said.

Located along the earthquake zone of the Pacific Rim, China faces threats from regional and trans-ocean tsunami. In particular, those originating from the Nankai Trough and Manila Trench may seriously threaten the South China Sea.

China's tsunami warning network can warn of events in the whole Pacific within five minutes, in the northern and western part of the ocean in one minute and in the South China Sea in 30 seconds.

The network receives data from about 800 tide and current stations and 60 tsunami detection buoys around the world, in addition to 112 tidal stations along the country's own coast.

In the first 15 years of the 21st century, more than ten tsunami disasters were recorded, compared with the average level of one in every six years in the previous century.

 

[qwerrty]

China to install in South China Sea
Xinhua, June 11, 2016

China plans to install tsunami detection buoys in the South China Sea and waters east of the Ryukyu Trench and Taiwan Island.

They will be linked to international tsunami warning networks, providing early warnings for China's east and south coasts and nearby countries, said Yuan Ye, director of the tsunami warning center of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), earlier this week.

Some buoys have been installed west of the Manila Trench, which has the potential to generate a tsunami event in the South China Sea, Yuan said.

Located along the earthquake zone of the Pacific Rim, China faces threats from regional and trans-ocean tsunami. In particular, those originating from the Nankai Trough and Manila Trench may seriously threaten the South China Sea.

China's tsunami warning network can warn of events in the whole Pacific within five minutes, in the northern and western part of the ocean in one minute and in the South China Sea in 30 seconds.

The network receives data from about 800 tide and current stations and 60 tsunami detection buoys around the world, in addition to 112 tidal stations along the country's own coast.

In the first 15 years of the 21st century, more than ten tsunami disasters were recorded, compared with the average level of one in every six years in the previous century.

tsunami detection buoys

 

[GS Zhou]

 

[TaiShang]

tsunami detection buoys

Promising improvements in technological capability. Facing the uncertain regional environment, China is doing the optimum strategy by installing early detection and hostility prevention mechanisms.

 

[GS Zhou]

That's exactly the charm of the scientific research: acknowledge the challenge, find a solution to the challenge, be the master of the challenge. Unfortunately, people from a technology-primitive country car hardly experience the charm of modern scientific research.

Fish at the 5000m deep sea (taken by Jiaolong/蛟龙, a manned deep-sea sub)

Jialong working at 7000m deep sea

An 1:2 model of Jiaolong

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

As a manned submersible, Jiaolong has reached the greatest depth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaolong_(submersible)

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese deep-sea explorer ship starts maiden voyage
Source: Xinhua | 2016-07-12 16:59:05 |

ABOARD "ZHANG JIAN" SHIP, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Oceanographic research ship "Zhang Jian" sails in the Hangzhou Bay, east China's Shanghai Municipality, July 12, 2016. The ship on Tuesday left Luchao Port in southeast Shanghai for its first voyage to Papua New Guinea and its nearby seas for a research expedition. The ship is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide, with a displacement of about 4,800 tons and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The cruising radius of the ship is 15,000 nautical miles, with a carrying capacity of 60 people. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)


SHANGHAI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese deep-sea explorer ship, Zhang Jian, set sail on Tuesday from Shanghai to the South Pacific for scientific research.

The vessel is the mother ship of the 11,000-meter Rainbow Fish submersible, which Chinese researchers are preparing to send to the Mariana Trench late this year or early next year, said Fang Jiasong, chief scientist of the mission.

During the two-month journey, scientists will test the navigation abilities of the ship and its scientific equipment, said Fang. The ship carries the landing device for the Rainbow Fish submersible, he added.

Its destination is the waters of the New Britain Trench, which is more than 8,000 meters deep in the Solomon Sea off Papua New Guinea, he said.

"The journey is an important step in our efforts to take on the Mariana Trench," said Fang.

The ship, named after the founder of Shanghai Ocean University, is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide. It has a designed displacement of around 4,800 tonnes and an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles.

It will be used for general ocean expedition missions, deep-sea engineering, rescue and salvage, underwater archaeology and film shooting.

China began developing Rainbow Fish in 2014. It will be able to go much deeper than the Jiaolong submersible, which set a Chinese record for manned diving when it reached 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.

With a combined area larger than the United States, the world's 26 hadal trenches, at depths of 6,500 meters or more, are home to many unknown species as well as energy and metal resources. Explorations at these depths have been held back by difficulties including high pressure and low temperatures.

 

[Beidou2020]

China now has 2 submersibles.

Jiaolong and Rainbow Fish.

 

[GS Zhou]

China completes a 11,000-meter deep sea research
August, 12th, 2016, Sanya, China

After a two-month ocean science research in Mariana Trench, Tansuo-1, China's Manned submersible’s mother ship, arrives in Sanya today.

Among the deep-sea samples brought back by Tansuo-1, the most eye-catching one is the seawater sample got from 10,822-deep sea bed. The water sample from Mariana Trench was obtained by China's self-developed Abyss Lander "Tianya".

The 6,300-ton Tansuo-1 brought many self-developed high tech equipment for this research trip, including the 10,000-m deep underwater Robot, two Abyss Landers, 9,000-m deep underwater seismometer, 7,000-m deep underwater glider, etc.


8月12日早上8时，“探索一号”科考船首航归来，参航人员将采自万米深渊的水样“万米海水”当作礼物带了回来，这是今年7月科考船通过天涯号深渊着陆器获得，深度10822米。此次科考是我国海洋科技发展史上第一次万米级深渊科考。
　　
此次深渊科考队共有船队员60人，其中“探索一号”船员29人，科考队员31人，分别来自中国科学院深海科学与工程研究所、沈阳自动化研究所、地质与地球物理研究所、国冶瑞诚工程技术有限公司等7家单位。该科考队在“海斗深渊前沿科技问题研究与攻关”战略性先导专项首席科学家丁抗、航次领队刘心成、航次首席科学家包更生等带领下，于6月22日从三亚出发，8月12日回到三亚，历时52天。

据介绍，本科考航次使用由中国科学院战略性先导专项以及海南省重大科技项目立项支持，自主研发的万米级自主遥控潜水器（ARV）“海斗号”、深渊着陆器“天涯号”与“海角号”、万米级原位试验系统“原位实验号”、9000米级深海海底地震仪、7000米级深海滑翔机等系列高技术装备，在马里亚纳海沟海域，共执行84项科考任务，在不同深度断面上，取得一大批珍贵的样品和数据。另据介绍，科考队将在最短时间内系统整理深渊数据和样品等成果，并于近期即将召开的深渊成果新闻发布会公开发布。

Tansuo-1

Seawater sample from 10,822-m deep sea bed

 

[Nilgiri]

August, 12th, 2016, Sanya, China

After a two-month ocean science research in Mariana Trench, Tansuo-1, China's Manned submersible’s mother ship, arrives in Sanya today.

Among the deep-sea samples brought back by Tansuo-1, the most eye-catching one is the seawater sample got from 10,822-deep sea bed. The water sample from Mariana Trench was obtained by China's self-developed Abyss Lander "Tianya".

The 6,300-ton Tansuo-1 brought many self-developed high tech equipment for this research trip, including the 10,000-m deep underwater Robot, two Abyss Landers, 9,000-m deep underwater seismometer, 7,000-m deep underwater glider, etc.


8月12日早上8时，“探索一号”科考船首航归来，参航人员将采自万米深渊的水样“万米海水”当作礼物带了回来，这是今年7月科考船通过天涯号深渊着陆器获得，深度10822米。此次科考是我国海洋科技发展史上第一次万米级深渊科考。
　　
此次深渊科考队共有船队员60人，其中“探索一号”船员29人，科考队员31人，分别来自中国科学院深海科学与工程研究所、沈阳自动化研究所、地质与地球物理研究所、国冶瑞诚工程技术有限公司等7家单位。该科考队在“海斗深渊前沿科技问题研究与攻关”战略性先导专项首席科学家丁抗、航次领队刘心成、航次首席科学家包更生等带领下，于6月22日从三亚出发，8月12日回到三亚，历时52天。

据介绍，本科考航次使用由中国科学院战略性先导专项以及海南省重大科技项目立项支持，自主研发的万米级自主遥控潜水器（ARV）“海斗号”、深渊着陆器“天涯号”与“海角号”、万米级原位试验系统“原位实验号”、9000米级深海海底地震仪、7000米级深海滑翔机等系列高技术装备，在马里亚纳海沟海域，共执行84项科考任务，在不同深度断面上，取得一大批珍贵的样品和数据。另据介绍，科考队将在最短时间内系统整理深渊数据和样品等成果，并于近期即将召开的深渊成果新闻发布会公开发布。

Tansuo-1
View attachment 325122

Seawater sample from 10,822-m deep sea bed
View attachment 325121

Any pictures or video of the deep sea footage?

 

[GS Zhou]

Any pictures or video of the deep sea footage?

no, we haven't seen the seabed pictures yet. The ship arrived in the port just today morning. There should be more details released later. But for now, the crew needs a nice rest

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese unmanned underwater vehicle sets a new deep-sea diving record: 10,767 meters down

(People's Daily Online) August 23, 2016

A Chinese unmanned underwater vehicle dived to a depth of 10,767 meters, setting a new deep-sea diving record.

China’s independently developed Haidou unmanned underwater vehicle became China’s first autonomous underwater vehicle for scientific research to dive to a depth of more than 10,000 meters, reaching a maximum depth of 10,767 meters, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on August 23rd at a press conference. This achievement makes China the third country, behind only Japan and the US, to send unmanned vessels to depths greater than 10,000 meters.

This incredible feat was reached five times during the maiden voyage of the scientific research ship Tansuo-1, developed by China to study the deep seas. During the voyage, Haidou completed two dives and three dives were completed by the deep-sea submersibles Tianya, a deep-sea lander, and The Yuanwei Experiment, a deep sea elevator used to study the seabed. Haidou, Tianya, Haijiao, and The Yuanwei Experiment are all deep-sea equipment developed independently by China.

 

[JSCh]

Nitrogen experiment among breakthroughs
By Zhao Xinying (China Daily) Updated: 2016-08-24 07:48

The China-developed Haidou autonomous and remotely operated vehicle is capable of diving to a depth of 11,000 meters, making China the third country, in addition to the United States and Japan, capable of producing submersibles that can dive more than 10,000 meters.

About Haidou ARV:
・ Weight: 260 kilograms
・ Size: 850 millimeters long, 400 mm wide and 1,200 mm high

The voyage taken by the research ship Tan Suo Yi Hao to the Marianas Trench from late June until Aug 12 made a series of breakthroughs in deep-sea scientific exploration, both domestically and internationally, according to scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The breakthroughs include a successful nitrogen cycle experiment conducted by the Yuanwei Shiyan ("on-site experiment") deep-sea elevator, a research device that is lowered with an anchor and was developed by the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of CAS.

"It made history among similar devices internationally," said Liu Xincheng, the CAS scientist who headed the expedition.

According to Liu, the Tianya deep-sea lander, another device taken on the voyage, also made history. It collected deep-sea water samples of more than 100 liters for the first time－more than counterparts from other countries.

During the voyage, China's unmanned submersible, the Haidou, dived for the first time to a depth of more than 10,000 meters, reaching 10,767 meters.

Jiaolong, China's manned submersible, reached a depth of 7,062 meters in the Marianas Trench in June 2012.

Bai Chunli, president of CAS, said the breakthroughs are part of China's exploration of the sea at a depth of 10,000 meters, which is among the key projects of the country's 13th Five Year Plan (2016-20).

The Tianya deep-sea lander was independently developed by China and is able to measure environmental parameters, make optical observations and collect samples.

About Tianya deep-sea lander:
・ Dive depth: 7,000 meters
・ Weight: 1,053 kilograms
・ Load capacity: 60 kg
・ Speed of diving: 1,800 to 2,400 meters per hour

The Yuanwei Shiyan deep-sea elevator is used to conduct on-site experiments.


Source: Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences

 

[beijingwalker]

China's largest semi-submersible ship unveiled in Guangzhou

 

[Comfortably Numb]

wow. What is the advantage of such a ship over a conventional one?