Laser technology for deep-sea exploration and ocean research is becoming more and more mature. (InVADER stands for In situ Vent Analysis Divebot for Exobiology Research) to the deep waters around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
The unexplored deep-sea waters around Kingman and Palmyra Atolls are ideal for testing this pioneering technology. Located midway between Hawaii and American Samoa, this is one of the most isolated and least explored areas on the planet.
InVADER aims to advance technologies originally developed to explore oceanic worlds like Io and Enceladus to characterize the Earth's seabed. Notably, InVADER's instruments (also known as laser submersibles) attempt to quickly characterize the seafloor in a faster and more cost-effective way than ever before. This marks the first time a high-tech laser laboratory has been integrated into a remotely operated vehicle operation for in-situ sensing and analysis.
Using laser spectroscopy, the laser submersible collects high-fidelity compositional data, including rock, sediment, water column and biological samples, according to the report. The technology, first deployed from a mobile remotely operated vehicle, is designed to advance in situ sensing and ultimately eliminate the need to collect physical samples, making it the first autonomous solution to measure on the move.
Measuring sediment and water composition without disturbing the marine environment is a priority for this research," said Dr. Leonardo Macelloni, associate research professor in the School of Marine Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi and one of the principal investigators on the project. We are very excited about the first results of the laser submersible and their potential for future exploration missions."
In the first dive test, the laser submersible determined the organic content of the water column from surface to bottom - without the need for physical sampling - and its mineral and organic pigments in rocks and sediments at a depth of about 1,500 meters. This heralds the dawn of a new era in oceanography.
The mission's chief designer, Dr. Pablo Sobron of Impossible Sensing, commented, "Drawing from space exploration, we have brought a cutting-edge tool to the last unexplored regions of the planet. Having gone from concept to reality in nine years, we have now unlocked unlimited potential for ocean exploration."
Dr. Pablo Sobron added, "This breakthrough propels us into a new era of discovery, enabling us to significantly advance the pace of ocean exploration, inspiring a sustainable blue economy and a brighter future for the planet."
The InVADER mission is the first step in unlocking this knowledge, which reinforces the momentum behind Impossible Sensing's growing portfolio of autonomous seafloor solutions for extensive ocean exploration and monitoring.
The exploration is understood to be funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Center for Ocean Exploration and Research through the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration. Funding for the development and testing of InVADER was provided by NASA, NOAA Ocean Exploration through the University of Southern Mississippi and the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Ocean Minerals Program.
