Global Explorer ROV is a unique deep water

remotely operated vehicle A remotely operated underwater vehicle (technically ROUV or just ROV) is a tethered underwater mobile device, commonly called ''underwater robot''. Definition This meaning is different from remote control vehicles operating on land or in the a ...

that has made numerous dives below on science and survey expeditions for National Geographic, the

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...

(NOAA) and other research organizations. It was designed and built by Chris Nicholson of Deep Sea Systems International, Inc. of Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Expeditions

2001 Loch Ness Science Survey

Dr. Robert Rines organized an expedition to search for the

Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster ( gd, Uilebheist Loch Nis), affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or mor ...

using the Global Explorer ROV to obtain underwater images. The search did not find the Monster but did photograph an image on the bottom that looked like a large dead animal.

2002 Arctic Ocean

On the NOAA's Arctic Exploration 2002, Global Explorer ROV dove to the bottom of the

Canada Basin The Canada Basin is a deep oceanic basin within the Arctic Ocean. It is part of the Amerasian Basin and lies off the coast of Alaska and northwest Canada between the Chukchi Plateau north of Alaska and the Alpha Ridge north of Ellesmere Island ...

and collected live specimens down through the water column. The ROV also obtained digital still photographs and video of sea life. This was the first ever census of marine life throughout the entire water column from the surface of the ice to the seafloor.

2003 Loch Ness Science Survey

Dr. Robert Rines worked to find the Loch Ness Monster on a second expedition with the Global Explorer ROV. This mission also ended without any success finding the Monster.

2005 Arctic Ocean

Global Explorer ROV was the key tool used on the NOAA's Hidden Ocean Arctic 2005 expedition. Live specimens were obtained down to 9,000 feet and high definition video and still images.

2007 USS ''Grunion''

In August, 2007, Global Explorer ROV was instrumental in locating the submarine , which, with 70 men on board, disappeared during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and had been listed by the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

as "missing in action, cause unknown". The expedition to locate the submarine was financed and arranged by the family of the commander of USS ''Grunion'', Lieutenant Commander Mannert L. Abele.

2007 Celebes Sea

In September and October 2007, Global Explorer ROV joined NOAA and National Geographic on an expedition to the unexplored depths of the

Celebes Sea The Celebes Sea, (; ms, Laut Sulawesi, id, Laut Sulawesi, fil, Dagat Selebes) or Sulawesi Sea, of the western Pacific Ocean is bordered on the north by the Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea and Mindanao Island of the Philippines, on the east b ...

, south of the Philippine Islands. The ROV was equipped with a high definition (HD) color video camera, a digital still camera, a 12-chambered suction sampler, and static canister samplers. The Global Explorer ROV was the star of the expedition. In strong currents, it collected live specimens as well as photographs and video of unusual and unfamiliar specimens.

Notes

References

* * * * * {{Underwater diving, divsup Robotic submarines Remotely operated underwater vehicles