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| Atlantis |
Scientists on the black smoker expedition will travel on the Pacific Ocean aboard the research ship the Atlantis in order to reach the Endeavour segment of the mid-ocean ridge. The Atlantis is one of several ships available to the international scientific community for research in the world's oceans. It is operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
The Atlantis launches, monitors, and communicates with the submersible ALVIN, which always travels with the Atlantis, and the ROV Jason. The Jason and ALVIN are needed for research and sample collection. The Atlantis is also equipped with a dynamic positioning system. This system keeps the ship steady and in one place while precise measurements are made using the ROV and submersible on the seafloor. One of the main reasons the Atlantis was selected for this expedition is that it was in the eastern Pacific and available at the time of the black smoker expedition.
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