ALVIN

1. ALVIN Alyssa Agin SCM 330

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Harold E. Froehlich, designer (July 13, 1992-May 19, 2007) • Named Project Manager of the vessel in 1962 • the Navy and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute gave a contract to General Mills to build a small,deep-diving submersible (won the bid for $472,517) • Alvin was Nicknamed after Ally Vine of WHOI • owned by the US Navy • Operated by National Deep Submergence Facility at the WHOI (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) Harold E. Froehlich

3. Alvin • First launched in 1964 • taken 12,000 scientist, engineers, & observers • made 4,120 dives • Is the only deep-diving research submarine that can seat two science observers and pilot • world’s oldest research submersible

4. Why do we use Alvin? • It can get access to 63% of the ocean • Visiting the deep ocean in person means the scientists get to see details of the seafloor and its processes with their own eyes. • They can also use Alvin’s equipment to sample rocks, sediment, fluids and sea life.

5. Highlighted Discoveries/What have we learned by using Alvin • 1966-Located a misplaced hydrogen bomb in the Mediterranean Sea • 1970s-discovered deep-sea hydrothermal vents • 1986-explored the Titanic

6. Hydrogen Bomb- March 17, 1966 • Alvin was used to locate a submerged 1.45 megaton hydrogen bomb. • An Air Force B-52 and a tanker collided over Spain. Alvin was selected to recover it. • Alvin was loaded into two Air Force cargo and flown to Spain. • After two months of searching the bomb was discovered. • The bomb wasresting nearly 910 meters deep. (3,000 feet)

7. Discovering Hydrothermal Vents-1970s • 1960s many scientist had thoughts about how our planet work which lead to different ideas no one had seen seafloor hot springs • Alvin’s discovery of hydrothermal vents changed our understanding of planet earth and the life on it. • It found seafloor vents gushing shimmering, warm, mineral-rich fluids into the cold, dark depths. • Proved Plate Tectonics • Discovered on the Galapagos Islands

8. Titanic Discover-July 1986 • Robert Ballard, a scientist. Chief Pilot Ralph Hollis and co-pilot Dudley Foster. • The passengers had to guess the destination of the Titanic. Luckily they guess the right direction. • The first part of the Titanic they saw was the hull of the boat. • Unfortunately, they immediately had to head back to the surface because the battery was low. • The next day they immediately rushed back in, it frightened them because it looked as if it was going straight for them because the bow was stuck in the soft mud facing straight up. First sign they had discovered Titanic.(Titanic’s Hull)

9. Information • Alvin is 23 feet long and 12 feet high • The sphere is 6.5 diameter and is made of titanium and 4.9 cm thick • There are three portholes, one for each of the passengers to observe • Everyday Alvin is operated it cost $40,000. • Weights 35,200 pounds

10. What is Alvin equipped with? Halide lights • Still and video camera • illuminates the dark sea with metal halide lights • two robotic arms, which grab sediment from the ocean floor and collect samples Robotic arm Video Camera Cameras Robotic arm

11. Cont.. propeller • Six reversible thrusters • one of the thrusters helps with the turning, two move it up and down, and the other three move it forward and backwards. • Tubing surrounds the inside walls that contain electrical wires that protect the passengers from the great pressure of the deep sea. • A hatch can be found at the top, which is only 20 inches in diameters. • In the front of the submarine is a basket that stows tools and scientific equipment and to collect samples. Hatch

13. How does Alvin work? • R/V Atlantis vessels Alvin • The thrusters-3 move it backwards and forward, two move it up and down and one helps it turn. The combination lets Alvin's skilled pilots fly the sub through the rugged topography of the seafloor, hover above it, or come to rest on the bottom. • Diving to the sea bottom is done by manipulating the Alvin's ballast, rather than by using the thrusters. The pilots start and stop diving by regulating the amount of water and air in the ballast tanks, and by jettisoning expendable steel weights (like sandbags in a hot-air balloon). • It takes about two hours for Alvin to dive to its maximum depth and another two to return to the surface. That leaves four or five hours for work on the bottom R/V Atlantis

14. Advantages • Passengers are able to see the seafloor with their own eyes. • Robotic arms which retrieve samples from the ocean floor and even grab animals to observe • Makes 98% of it’s schedule operations • Has helped with important discoveries

15. Cool Picture taken by Alvin

16. Disadvantages 1967- Attacked by Swordfishes • Technology is outdated and needs updated. None of the original Alvin are there. • Submersion time is only 4 hours(ROV are several days) • Freezing inside making it miserable for any passenger • Because of fire safety the crew is only allowed to layer in cotton and wool, no fleece is allowed • Finally, there is no toilet passengers need to be prepared to hold for a long period of time 1968-slipped from it’s cables, slipped 5,000 feet, was recovered in 1969.

17. What about Alvin now? • Located just outside of San Diego on a cruise mission. • This final cruise of the year installed chemical sensors for monitoring the chemistry of hydrothermal vent fluids and supported the Dive and Discover education and outreach program.

18. Evolution of Alvin Original Alvin

19. Future of Alvin • New model of Alvin is being made which should be done by 2010 • Deep Submergence Science Institute is providing the new model • New model is suppose to increase depth capability, bottom time, energy capacity, fields of increase depth capability, bottom time, energy capacity, field of view, access to seafloor,and interior electronics • This new technology battery access and less complicated and much better sphere design as well. Design on new model