ANTÁRTICA: Icy Missions

A sophisticated underwater mini submersible designed and built in Tasmania, will spend the summer in Antarctica exploring under the sea ice at Australia’s Davis research station. The mini sub, or Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), has been purpose built for Antarctica and is packed with hi-tech features including lasers that can measure the size of objects on the sea floor. Australian Antarctic Division scientist and ROV pilot, Dr Glenn Johnstone, said the $60,000 machine was designed to fit down a 40cm hole in the sea-ice. “One or two scientists can take this small sub out onto the sea ice, drill a hole and lower it in to do the same work we would have previously used a team of divers to do, which required significant logistics and equipment,” Dr Johnstone said. The ROV measures 35cm in diameter, and will carry three cameras as it explores up to 30 different sites around the station. It can dive down to 100m below the sea ice and spend 3 - 4 hours exploring.