A deep sea ROV expedition carried out by Canadian ROV ROPOS with its support ship R/V Tan Kah Kee kicks off in Xiamen on April 17, starting a one-month scientific expedition on sea. This expedition, led by chief scientist Prof. Huaiyang Zhou from School of Ocean and Earth Science of Tongji University, aims to carry out in-situ observations, experiments and sampling at water depth of 1 km to 4 km, focusing on three themes of seamount, deep-sea sedimentation and cold seep ecosystem at north-east and middle part of the South China Sea. It is an important mission organized by the NSFC “South China Sea Deep” program with Prof. Pinxian Wang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor of the School, as leader of the expert panel. 22 scientists of geology, geophysics, geochemistry and biology from 9 domestic universities and institutions are also on board the ship.
During this expedition, several live shows will be broadcast to the public in which students and marine science lovers will be able to observe lives in the deep sea, learn how the ROV works, visit labs on the research vessels and interact with scientists working on the ship, and be able to monitor how R/V Tan Kah Kee is sailing at sea.
Launched in 2011, as China’s first and largest major marine science research program so far, “South China Sea Deep” program has attracted more than 400 outstanding research scientists from about 30 domestic research institutions to explore the deep sea basin of the South China Sea by utilizing a series of new techniques such as deep tow vehicle, deep-sea manned submersibles, ocean drilling, and with effective global efforts, to reveal the deep sea process and evolution, and to reconstruct its “life history”, and has obtained a number of significant reveals. This year will be the last important ending for the program, and this ROV expedition will help bring to its success.
Picture of support ship R/V Tan Kah Kee
Picture of research background
Group photo of on board members