2009/09/11
Labels: showcomments, ropos, thompson, deployment, hydrates, installation, crawler, wally, germany, jacobs-university
On September 9-10, we returned to the hydrates field in Barkley Canyon to install a string of temperature probes and rescue Wally the Crawler.
Temperature Probes
Four sets of temperature probes, linked by cable, were positioned around a hydrate mound and connected to the Barkley hydrates instrument platform.
Changes in temperature affect the formation and dissociation of hydrates in the sediments at the sea floor. The temperature array helps scientists monitor conditions in the water and the sediments that affect the stability of the hydrates. Four pairs of small temperature sensors are arranged at the sea floor, one just above in the water and the other just below in the sediment.
Temperature Probe Preparation |
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R/V Thompson A/B Brian Clampitt (left) and Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility general manager Keith Shepherd pull ropes to rotate ROPOS, 9 September 2009.
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One in a series of four temperature probe pairs deployed to the hydrates field in Barkley Canyon, 9 September 2009. The lower probe measures sediment temperatures, while the upper probe measures water temperatures.
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NEPTUNE Canada contractor Jason Williams operates the crane, lifting ROPOS with attached tool basket from the deck of the R/V Thompson, 9 September 2009.
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University of Victoria M.Sc. candidate Katleen Robert prepares rigging for the temperature probe deployment, 9 September 2009.
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NEPTUNE Canada instrument manager Reece Hasanen rigs the ROPOS tool tray for temperature probe deployment, 9 September 2009.
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ROPOS crew member Kim Wallace repairs the sub, 9 September 2009.
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(Click the pictures to play slideshow.)
Temperature Probe Installation |
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The full set of temperature probes, as deployed to their final positions in the Barkley Canyon hydrates field, 9 September 2009.
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ROPOS removes the first temperature probe from the tool tray during installation in Barkley Canyon, 9 September 2009.
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Wally's Rescue
After deployment on 27 August, scientists in Bremen, Germany were able to successfully operate Wally the Crawler via the Internet. After a week, however, a problem developed and we lost communications with the crawler. We decided to rescue Wally and attempt repairs.
Once the temperature probe string was deployed, ROPOS then placed him in the 'tool basket', unplugged his umbilical from the instrument platform and brought him back to the surface. Two Jacobs University technicians, Michael Hofbauer and Maik Dressel, are currently en-route from Bremen, Germany to Bamfield, BC to join our installation crew. We hope they will be able to repair Wally on-ship, so we can return him to his home in the Barkley hydrates field before this summer's installation cruise comes to an end.
Wally's Rescue |
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ROPOS lowers Wally the crawler into the tool basket for recover to ship, 9 September 2009.
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Wally the crawler sits on a hydrate mound next to waypoint marker #7 in Barkley Canyon, prior to recovery, 9 September 2009.
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Wally the crawler sits in the ROPOS tool basket on deck after rescue from the seafloor, 10 September 2009.
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(Click the pictures to play slideshow.)
