How It Works-Amazing Vehicles

W

hat lies beneath? This question has

fascinated mankind for decades. We

know more about the surface of the

Moon than we do about our planet’s deep oceans,

as the limitations of planning a v isit to the bottom

of the sea are as many as venturing into space. But

when nature throws problems at us, we hit back

with technological solutions.

It’s thought an English innkeeper, musing over

the properties of buoyancy and water

displacement, dreamt up the fi rst submarine in

1580. From there, the principal of taking humans
      from sea level dow n to the deepest-know n parts of
      the ocean in a pressurised cabin has grow n into a
      colossal industry, important to scientists, the
      military and explorers alike.
      But what are the benefi ts of diving so deep and
      what is there to see? Studying the seabed and its
      geological and topographical properties at certain
      regions can help us learn more about the surface of
      our planet. Scientists study ing plate tectonics can
      learn plenty from ocean trenches, gaining
      knowledge that may lead to some great

advancements in earthquake predictions and

tsunami warning systems.

Similarly, the study of the decay ing matter that

collects on the ocean fl oor may help us to

understand more about how carbon c ycles

through our ecosystems and how it is stored in the

oceans. In turn this may have implications for our

understanding of climate change.

Submersibles are manned submarines, usually

carrying around three crew members. One of the

most famous and longest-ser ving submersibles

out there is A lv in, the fi rst of its kind capable of

carr y ing passengers, ow ned by the Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, USA.

Also available for deep-ocean exploration and

study are ROVs, or Remotely Operated Vehicles.

These are robots that can be controlled from their

parent ship, equipped w ith cameras and tools to

take images and samples from the deep.

At the bottom of the ocean, hydrostatic pressure

is a major adversar y. For ever y ten metres (33 feet)

in depth, the pressure increases by one bar (14.5

pounds per square inch). At full-ocean-depth, that

Ocean

hunters

These amazing feats of engineering bring

the ocean depths closer than ever before

Explore Richard Branson’s innovative craft

for deep-ocean adventure, designed by sub

builder Graham Hawkes

Virgin Oceanic

submersible

Wing lights

Wing-mounted lights

guide the way and

illuminate the darkest

ocean depths.

Emerging technology is

behind many of Virgin

Oceanic’s new deep-sea

exploration vessel

SEA