A analysis group from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Analysis Kiel is in search of jellyfish within the depths of the ocean, amongst different issues — and it is drafted in a specially-built robotic to trace them down.
“It is vitally probably that we’ll uncover new species on this cruise,” Jan Dierking, PhD, predicts of the deliberate launch of expedition MSM126, which is able to discover deep-sea habitats round Madeira. “We wish to see how organisms within the open water are linked to the deep sea: who eats whom, who competes with whom? I’m very excited to see what the attention on the seabed will reveal.”
The Maria S. Merian has set sail for Madeira, aiming to shine a lightweight on the “jelly net” beneath the ocean’s waves. (📷: GEOMAR)
That “eye” is a part of a payload of kit being taken on the mission, dubbed Pelagic in Situ Statement System (PELAGIOS). This shall be joined by echosounders and towed cameras, dubbed the Ocean Ground Observing System (XOFOX), which is able to map three areas round Madeira — a deep-sea canyon, an underwater plateau, and a submarine ridge — from depths of 50m to 3km (round 164 ft to 9,800 ft).
For direct sampling, although, the group has what it calls the “Swiss Military knife of marine analysis,” ROV PHOCA, a remotely-operated submersible robotic which may attain depths of 3km whereas feeding again reside high-definition video by way of an optical tether. Through the mission the robotic shall be used to take samples utilizing what’s highly-technically termed the “slurp gun,” and to research what occurs throughout a “meals fall” the place natural supplies sink from the higher sea to the depths.
The mission will use ROV PHOCA to take samples with its “slurp gun,” the group has mentioned. (📷: ROV Crew/GEOMAR)
A significant focus of the mission is on jellyfish, and the way they contribute to the meals net within the ocean. “This group of organisms could be very various,” says Henk-Jan Hoving, PhD, of the creatures. “A few of them can develop to tens of metres in size. Some are predators, feeding on crustaceans, fish or different gelatinous organisms. Others depend on detritus, the lifeless and decaying materials that’s plentiful within the water column.”
“The jelly net in all probability performs an important function within the processing of natural matter,” Dierking provides, “as a result of jellyfish can happen in massive numbers, and when such a ‘jelly bloom’ dies, probably a considerable amount of this biomass sinks. However for a lot of areas, together with Madeira, we do not know the way a lot of it truly reaches the seabed or who feeds on it.”
ROV PHOCA shall be joined within the depths by PELAGIOS, a deep-sea digicam and environmental monitor array. (📷: Solvin Zankl)
The mission launched right this moment in Portugal, and is because of finish in Spain on 4 March; throughout the mission, schoolchildren shall be invited for a query and reply session, the researchers have confirmed. Extra info is on the market on the GEOMAR web site.
Most important article picture courtesy of Henk-Jan Hoving/GEOMAR.
