| History | |
|---|---|
 Japan | |
| Name | ABISMO |
| Owner | The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) |
| Operator | JAMSTEC |
| Builder | JAMSTEC |
| Maiden voyage | 2007 |
| In service | 2007 |
| Homeport | Yokosuka, Japan |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | remotely operated underwater vehicle |
| Tonnage | 300kg in the air[1] |
| Displacement | 100kg in the water[1] |
| Length | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)[1] |
| Height | 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in)[1] |
| Installed power | electrical (Lithium-ion batteries) |
| Propulsion | Thrusters (Longitudinal direction: 400W×4 sets, Transverse direction: 400W×2 sets), Crawler (Longitudinal direction 400W×2sets)[1] |
| Test depth | 11,000 meters |
| Complement | Uncrewed |
| Sensors & processing systems | side-scan sonar, NTSC type color TV×1channel & search lights[1] |
ABISMO (AutomaticBottomInspection andSamplingMobile) is aremotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) built by theJapan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) for exploration of thedeep sea. It is the only remaining ROV rated to 11,000-meters (afterNereus, built and operated by theWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution was lost at sea in 2014),ABISMO is intended to be the permanent replacement forKaikō, a ROV that was lost at sea in 2003.
Between 1995 and 2003,Kaikō conducted more than 250 dives, collecting 350 biological species (including 180 different bacteria), some of which could prove to be useful in medical and industrial applications.[2]Kaikō reached a maximum depth of 10,911.4 meters at theChallenger Deep on 24 March 1995, during its initial sea trials.[3][4][5]Kaikō returned to Challenger Deep in February 1996, this time reaching a maximum depth of 10,898 meters.[6][7]Kaikō made its last visit to Challenger Deep in May 1998. On 29 May 2003,Kaikō was lost at sea off the coast ofShikoku Island duringTyphoon Chan-Hom, when a steel secondary cable connecting it to its launcher at the ocean surface broke.[8] In May 2004, JAMSTEC resumed its research operations, using a converted ROV as its vehicle. This ROV, formerly known asUROV 7K, was rechristenedKaikō7000II. The7000 designation indicates that this vessel is rated for diving to a maximum depth of 7,000 meters.
RVKairei (かいれい) is a deep sea research vessel that served as the support ship forKaikō, and for its replacementROV,Kaikō7000II. It now serves as the support ship forABISMO.Kairei usesABISMO to conduct surveys and observations ofoceanic plateaus,abyssal plains,oceanic basins,submarine volcanoes,hydrothermal vents,oceanic trenches and other underwater terrain features to a maximum depth of 11,000 meters.Kairei also conducts surveys of the structure of deep sub-bottoms with complicated geographical shapes in subduction zones using its on-board multi-channel reflection survey system.[9]
While the temporary replacement ROV (Kaikō7000II) has a remarkable performance record, it is only rated to 7,000 meters and cannot reach the deepest oceanic trenches. For this reason, JAMSTEC engineers began work on a new 11,000-meter class of ROV in April 2005.[8][10] The project is calledABISMO (Automatic Bottom Inspection and Sampling Mobile), which translates toabyss in Spanish and Portuguese.
LikeKaikō,ABISMO consists of 4 major parts:[10]
Except for the sampler and the smaller size of the ROV itself, the system configuration is the same as forKaikō. The launcher launches and recovers the ROV along with its sampler. Clickhere to see a photograph ofABISMO and its launcher, as well as RVKairei, the support ship.
The lower part of the launcher is constructed of astainless steel framework, within which the vehicle is stored.Pressure hulls for electronic devices, awinch, a secondarycable drum and two electrictransformers are located in the upper part of the launcher. The samplers include a gravity core sampler and a bottom grab sampler. There is also a docking system and anacoustic positioning system in the lower part of the launcher. The vehicle is hung in the launcher by the docking system. When the system detaches it and the cable drum feeds the secondary cable, the vehicle can dive down, and its position is measured by the acoustic positioning system. The position of the launcher is measured by RVKairei, the support ship. The launcher also has ahigh-definition television (HDTV) camera with pan and tilt functions.[8]
Initial sea trials ofABISMO were conducted in 2007. The craft successfully reached a planned depth of 9,760-meters, the deepest part ofIzu–Ogasawara Trench, where it collected core samples of sediment from the seabed.[8][10] Plans are underway for a mission to the Challenger Deep.[citation needed]
In June 2008, theJapan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) deployed the 4,517-ton Deep Sea Research VesselKairei to the area ofGuam for cruise KR08-05 Leg 1 and Leg 2.On 1–3 June 2008, during Leg 1, the Japanese robotic deep-sea probeABISMO (Automatic Bottom Inspection and Sampling Mobile) on dives 11-13 almost reached the bottom about 150 km (93 mi) east of the Challenger Deep: "Unfortunately, we were unable to dive to the sea floor because the legacy primary cable of the Kaiko system was a little bit short. The 2-m long gravity core sampler was dropped in free fall, and sediment samples of 1.6m length were obtained. Twelve bottles of water samples were also obtained at various depths..." ABISMO's dive #14 was into the TOTO caldera (12°42.7777 N, 143°32.4055 E), about 60 nmi northeast of the deepest waters of thecentral basin of the Challenger Deep, where they obtained videos of the hydrothermal plume.[11] Upon successful testing to 10,000 m (32,808 ft), JAMSTEC’ ROVABISMO became, briefly, the only full-ocean-depth rated ROV in existence. On 31 May 2009, the ABISMO was joined by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's HROVNereus as the only two operational full ocean depth capableremotely operated vehicles in existence. During the ROVABISMO's deepest sea trails dive itsmanometer measured a depth of 10,257 m (33,652 ft) ±3 m (10 ft) in “Area 1” (vicinity of 12°43’ N, 143°33’ E).[12][13]Leg 2, under chief scientist Takashi Murashima, operated at the Challenger Deep June 8–9, 2008, testing JAMSTEC's new full ocean depth “Free Fall Mooring System,” i.e. alander. The lander was successfully tested twice to 10,895 m (35,745 ft) depth, taking video images and sediment samplings at11°22.14′N142°25.76′E / 11.36900°N 142.42933°E /11.36900; 142.42933, in thecentral basin of the Challenger Deep.[14]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology vessels and vehicles | ||
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