Jiaolong Submersible from China Prepares for 46 Dives During its 83rd Sea Expedition

COMRA (China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association) revealed on Saturday that Jiaolong, China's maiden autonomous manned submersible, has reached the hydrothermal area of the South Atlantic on board its parent ship, Shenhai Yihao (Deep Sea No. 1). This journey marks China's 83rd ocean exploration.

Armed with a range of standard environmental research tools, the submersible is anticipated to complete 46 dives during its expedition in order to further marine biological environment studies.

On the 27th of January, Jiaolong made its initial dive into the South Atlantic, reaching a depth of 3,350 meters. It made the successful discovery of hydrothermal vent communities and a plethora of hydrothermal organisms. In addition, it performed measurement and sampling procedures, gathering specimens such as deep-sea mussels and shrimp.

COMRA confirmed that, as of Wednesday, Jiaolong has successfully executed eight dives. It has performed exploration of conductivity, temperature, and depth across various locations.

The 83rd expedition embarked on December 17, 2023, departing from the city of Qingdao in Shandong Province, in eastern China. The returning schedule is set for May, with the port in Qingdao serving as the end destination.

The expedition team consists of 81 members hailing from 19 different research institutes and universities. The researchers are focusing their studies on topics such as the correlation between mid-ocean ridge biodiversity and common landforms, the spatial distribution of hydrothermal organisms, and biological connectivity.