Into the deep - again

Design of the New Alvin (c) WHOI

The submersible Alvin has been out of commission for a major upgrade since December 2010. But there is progress... significant progress towards meeting the goal of test dives in December of this year!

The biggest piece of Alvin to be updated was the personnel sphere. This was said to be the only original piece left from the original Alvin of the 1960s. Now it too will be turned in for something newer and shinier. The personnel sphere is a perfectly spherical hollow ball that houses the pilot and two observers as well as oodles of electronic equipment and supplies. (picture of the sphere being made)

The new sphere was delivered to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution today after passing its pressure tests. The original sphere was 6ft in diameter. The new one is larger. Most importantly the new sphere will increase the depth limit from 4500 m deep to 6500 m deep. To be rated to 6500m, the sphere had to pass pressure tests up to the equivalent of 8000 m (a 1500m margin for safety). Still not Cameron's feat of the Mariana Trench at about 11000 m, but this submersible is meant to be a scientific workhorse. While Cameron did include some features to allow for scientific collections, Cameron's Deep Sea Challenge can't match the scientific abilities of the research submersibles like Alvin.

We miss you, Alvin. I'm glad you'll be back in the water soon.