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Opening the words "Xiangyanghong 10" set off from Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province at the end of last year, passed through the South China Sea and crossed the Strait of the Straits, and went to the Indian Ocean to perform the Chinese Ocean 49 expedition. The expedition is scheduled to take 250 days and is divided into 5 segments with a predicted range of over 25,000 nautical miles. In order to vividly record this oceanic scientific expedition, the journalist of Science and Technology Daily participated in the third and fourth segment reporting tasks on board the ship, and set up a “Indonean Southwest Indian Ocean” column to provide mineral resources for the China Ocean 49 voyage in the Southwest Indian Ocean Contract Zone. The investigation of ecological environment and geological structure followed up in real time and explained in detail. What are the mysteries of science in the Southwest Indian Ocean? The front-line reporter will show you one by one.

“The deck was prepared before and after, ready to leave the dock.” At about 9:00 on March 15 local time, under the order of the cockpit, the “Xiangyanghong 10” expedition vessel for various handover tasks and life supply was completed in Port Louis, Mauritius. Set sail again.

In the rippling blue sea, this expedition ship carrying 40 scientific expedition members and 24 crewmen steadily sailed to the work area in the southwest Indian Ocean and began to perform the expedition task of the third segment of China Ocean 49. .

Missions full of key segments

The task of waiting for the "Xiangyanghong 10" boat is not easy at all.

Deng Xianming, chief scientist of the third segment of Dayang 49, said that the main tasks for the third leg include the exploration of polymetallic sulphides in the southwest Indian Ocean contract area, the baseline survey of the typical hydrothermal ecosystem in the Southwest Indian Ridge, and Qianlong equipment. Series applications, structural studies of the mid-western Indian Ocean, and the surrounding sea areas.

Judging from the investigation methods, the "Hyper Dragon II" underwater robot, transient electromagnetic instrument, camera dragging bottom and television grab will be brought together. The operation area spans 300 kilometers.

"Originally, the entire voyage was planned and the task design for each flight segment was full." Deng Xianming told the reporter of the Science and Technology Daily, but because the first and second flight segments meet with the typhoon narrow road, the sea conditions are poor, so these two Some investigation tasks that were not carried out by one flight segment were handed over to the third flight segment.

For example, according to the original plan of this segment "Qian Long 2" underwater robot will dive 4 times within 100 square kilometers. However, with the transfer of the first and second leg of the task, "Qianlong 2" needs to dive 3 times in an additional 120 square kilometers, and the workload is almost doubled.

However, Deng Xianming was gratified that, because the “Hydrano-2” underwater robot has been applied in the second segment, the submersible body and detection sensors have entered a relatively good state and will continue to be applied in the third segment. Perhaps work efficiency will improve.

“The third flight segment also faces adverse seasonal factors.” Deng Xianming said that the location of the operation area is between 35° and 40°S. The southern hemisphere gradually enters the winter in March and April, and the westerly winds move northwards, causing adverse meteorological factors. The probability is higher. In particular, the first and second flight segments, which were originally expected to have better weather conditions, met with the typhoon narrow road, which caused some pressure on the survey team members in the third flight segment.

Unprecedented comprehensive operational voyage

As one of the core segments, the third leg can be said to be the epitome of China Ocean 49 voyage expedition.

“Compared with the previous scientific missions, this voyage has the characteristics of integrated operations, equal resources and environment, high-level refinement of survey methods, and targeting of international maritime hotspots.” Tao Chunhui, chief scientist of the 49th China Ocean Flight Survey, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily. .

This mission includes as many as 10 tasks including exploration of polymetallic sulphides, baseline surveys of typical hydrothermal ecosystem environments, investigation of biogenetic resources in hydrothermal zones, and surveys of micro-plastic pollution in the Indian Ocean, covering almost all disciplines in ocean research. It is an unprecedented integrated service voyage.

Tao Chunhui said that in the previous scientific missions, only the survey in the work area was the task volume, and other scientific research was voluntary. In the Chinese Ocean 49 voyage expedition, all survey activities conducted by the “Xianyanghong 10” boat from Zhoushan to Zhoushan will be part of the workload.

“Our country's 'Nine Dragons to the Sea' project has just begun to implement. In addition to completing the operational investigation work, it also has to fulfill the exploration contract signed with the International Seabed Authority. This has made very high demands on the entire voyage.” Tao Chunhui said.

In 2011, China and the International Seabed Authority jointly signed the Contract for the Exploration of Polymetallic Sulfide Resources in the Southwest Indian Ocean. According to the contract, China has acquired 10,000 square kilometers of exploration mining area in the international seabed area in the southwest Indian Ocean and has exclusive exploration rights to polymetallic sulphide resources during the contract period.

The contract also stipulates that in 2019 China needs to complete 50% of the area to give up and return half of the mine to the International Seabed Authority. In 2022, 75% of the area must be abandoned. In other words, this year is an extremely critical year for fulfilling the contract.

“The survey results of China Ocean 49 voyage expedition will provide important data support for regional abandonment,” Tao Chunhui said.