DSV Alvin DSV AlvinWHOI is pleased to announce that after a prolonged effort, the U.S. Navy has approved an increase of ALVIN's operating depth from 4 000 meters to 4500 meters. The ALVIN Group has been doing the requisite background work to support the increased depth certificatio n for the past three years. The biggest hurdle was producing technical documentation that would provide detailed and objective evid ence of adequate design and testing procedures. Some of this work entailed supplying certification documentation for various ALVIN systems and equipment back to 1971. The last portion of this process has entailed fabrication of new titanium pressure housings for the motor controllers on ALVIN. This was accomplished during November-December 1993, with the installation of the new housings having been carried out during January 1994 while ALVIN was conducting science operations.
By increasing the current 4000 meter depth limit of ALVIN to 4500 meters scientists will now be able to investigate 86% of the ocean basins. This depth increase results in about 25% more of the ocean floor within reach of ALVIN and means that nearly all of the mid-ocean ridge crest as well as many deeper portions of continental margin, backarc basins and oceanic transform terranes can now be studied using ALVIN.
Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan
gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428