|
Unlike submersibles, which carry scientists to the ocean floor, ROVs are robotic. But the ROV still requires people for its operation because it is tethered to the ship above and is controlled by scientists and engineers on board the ship through the tethering cable. ROVs enable high-quality scientific observation and data collection on the deep, remote ocean floor without placing people on the ocean floor. Like submersibles, ROVs include high-quality still and video cameras, temperature sensors, mechanical arms, and baskets for sample collection.
Jason, the main research tool on this expedition, works with another vehicle called Medea. Together they function as a dual-vehicle ROV. Jason has the ability to obtain highly precise imaging and data collection, while Medea has survey capabilities and serves as Jason's base. Jason is linked by a 100-meter cable to Medea; Medea is then linked by a much longer cable to the ship overhead. Both Medea and Jason are designed to operate to a maximum depth of 6,000 meters and they can be operated from a variety of research or commercial vessels. Jason was used to explore the Titanic and is a key feature of the Jason Project.
 |
| Crab in the Basket |
The Jason/Medea ROV is equipped with digital cameras from Mystic Aquarium to document the black smoker sulfide structures and the life-forms living on the structures, temperature probes to obtain temperature data, and a high-precision manipulator (arm) and small basket for taking and storing samples. Larger samples can be taken by the Jason and loaded either onto Medea or onto a separate sample platform. A key advantage of this dual-vehicle ROV is that Medea and Jason can provide light for each other's operations.
|
