Deep oceans are key for Planet’s biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles and world’s future blue economy, but still are highly underexplored. In 2017, METU deep-sea scientists Mustafa Yücel and Batuhan Çağrı Yapan have communicated their experiences from their research dives with submarine Alvin in the Pacific Ocean. This time, between July 7 – August 5 2018, the METU team embarked on an expedition to the deep Atlantic Ocean. Mustafa Yucel and his masters student Serhat Sevgen has travelled to Azores İslands (Portugal) to embark on French research vessel R/V Atalante and the expedition team has arrived over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where hydrothermal vents and chemosynthetic habitats are located.
The multidisciplinary team consists of deep-sea ecologists, biologist, biogeochemists and engineers. The team will primarily utilize the French submarine robot ‘Victor’. Victor, with a maximum submergence capacity of 6000 m, uses robotic arms, sensors and high-tech samplers to provide live feedback to the ship for real-time deep sea research.
The expedition can be followed from blog.metu.edu.tr/muyucel and twitter: @mustyucel.
