Remotely Operated Vehicle Deep Discoverer
Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Gulf of Mexico 2017. Download larger version (mp4, 119.2 MB).
Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer is owned by NOAA Ocean Exploration and was built and continues to be maintained and operated by the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE) . Deep Discoverer (also known as “D2”) is operated off NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer with its companion vehicle, Seirios.
Capable of diving to depths of 3.7 miles (6,000 meters), Deep Discoverer provides scientists unprecedented access to the deep ocean. The main capability of Deep Discoverer is the ability to capture high-definition video, with the vehicle’s primary camera able to zoom in on a 3-inch-long (7.6-centimeter-long) organism from 10 feet (3 meters) away. Deep Discoverer’s 28 LED lights illuminate the otherwise dark depths of the ocean.
Deep Discoverer is capable of collecting biological, geological, and water samples and measuring physical characteristics of the ocean such as salinity, water temperature, depth, and dissolved oxygen to help us better understand the deep-ocean environment. To do this, it’s equipped with two manipulator arms, rock and bio storage boxes, Niskin bottles for water collection, a rotary suction sampler with jars for collecting delicate biological samples, and a variety of sensors.
Deep Discoverer carries no passengers and is operated remotely. It’s connected to Seirios and Okeanos Explorer via a long cable and is piloted by GFOE engineers on the ship. Thanks to telepresence technology, live video from Deep Discoverer travels from the seafloor to the ship and then via satellite connection to scientists located on shore who use the real-time video to provide guidance to the pilots on where to go and which samples to collect. The live video is also broadcast on the web, allowing members of the public to join in on Deep Discoverer’s adventures.
By delivering stunning high-definition video, gathering physical data about surrounding waters, and collecting biological, geological, and water samples, Deep Discoverer provides data needed by scientists to better understand an area and enable resource managers to make better decisions about its management as well as its protection.
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer being prepared for launch during a dive for the Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition. Image courtesy of Art Howard, GFOE, Windows to the Deep 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 9.9 MB).
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer documents the benthic communities at Paganini Seamount during the Deep-Sea Symphony: Exploring the Musicians Seamounts expedition. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Deep-Sea Symphony: Exploring the Musicians Seamounts. Download larger version (jpg, 1.0 MB).