diving objectives, launching the submersible, the state of the bottom transponder
network as well as navigation on the sea floor are discussed in great detail. The
meeting and discussion requires the presence of the diving operation manager, the
pilots and engineers from the submersible group, scientists, plus the ship’s captain
and the officer of the bridge. The targets are clearly defined by the chief scientist
and by the scientific observer assigned to the dive. Three people are usually
involved during each dive: a scientist (or an observer), a pilot and an engineer,
who is also the co-pilot. The scientific observer and the pilots and co-pilots are the
main people concerned with a given dive and it is critical to understand their
opinions and objectives if the surface operating team is going to follow the
activities of the next day’s dive.
It is also during the evening before a dive that the submersible group starts to
prepare the submarine itself. In the morning of the dive, all the groups (i.e. the
scientists, ship-board personnel on watch, and submersible team) get an early start
at 6 o’clock so they can perform their respective routine checklists for the
equipment involved. At 7 AM, after a quick breakfast, weights consisting of
150–300 kg of iron pellets contained in 27 bags of 25 kilos each are poured into
special compartments on the side of the submersible. In addition, four ballast bags
of iron pellets are attached to the side of the submersible, and they will be released
Fig. 3.6 A dive in a manned submersible on the sea floor lasts about 8–9 h. The submersible
sinks when it takes on water and rises to the surface when it releases its ballast (iron pellets).
Several tasks can be achieved such as in situ observations, continuous video-camera recording,
sampling, plus deploying and using various pieces of equipment
70
3 Diving into the Abysses
network as well as navigation on the sea floor are discussed in great detail. The
meeting and discussion requires the presence of the diving operation manager, the
pilots and engineers from the submersible group, scientists, plus the ship’s captain
and the officer of the bridge. The targets are clearly defined by the chief scientist
and by the scientific observer assigned to the dive. Three people are usually
involved during each dive: a scientist (or an observer), a pilot and an engineer,
who is also the co-pilot. The scientific observer and the pilots and co-pilots are the
main people concerned with a given dive and it is critical to understand their
opinions and objectives if the surface operating team is going to follow the
activities of the next day’s dive.
It is also during the evening before a dive that the submersible group starts to
prepare the submarine itself. In the morning of the dive, all the groups (i.e. the
scientists, ship-board personnel on watch, and submersible team) get an early start
at 6 o’clock so they can perform their respective routine checklists for the
equipment involved. At 7 AM, after a quick breakfast, weights consisting of
150–300 kg of iron pellets contained in 27 bags of 25 kilos each are poured into
special compartments on the side of the submersible. In addition, four ballast bags
of iron pellets are attached to the side of the submersible, and they will be released
Fig. 3.6 A dive in a manned submersible on the sea floor lasts about 8–9 h. The submersible
sinks when it takes on water and rises to the surface when it releases its ballast (iron pellets).
Several tasks can be achieved such as in situ observations, continuous video-camera recording,
sampling, plus deploying and using various pieces of equipment
70
3 Diving into the Abysses