![]() There are interesting and intriguing phenomena that do not yet have plausible explanations. ![]() And they will research how animals in the hadal zone are able to withstand extreme hydrostatic pressure.Earth’s oceans are home to a wide variety of marine flora and fauna. Bacteria and other microbes make up the base of the food web at these depths, so researchers will also work to better understand the relationships between microbes, marine snow (sources of carbon), and larger organisms. The HADEX program is setting out to compare life found in the hadal zone by studying its abundance and diversity in 1,000-meter intervals from 4,000 meters to the deepest points of trenches. One of their primary benefits is their ability to reconfigure their mission on the fly if they encounter unexpected issues. Orpheus AUVs can work independently or in a “swarm” to explore, map, and analyze the water, seafloor, and organisms in the hadal zone. These small AUVs can withstand pressure greater than 1,000 times that at the ocean’s surface (as occurs at the deepest points), and they can navigate narrow, rocky sections of trenches. Together, WHOI and NASA have developed Orpheus autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). This project is not without challenges, given the remote location and extreme topography and pressures found in ocean trenches. To do so, WHOI’s HADEX program is collaborating with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop technology that allows exploration of the hadal zone. ![]() Researchers are actively working to investigate trenches and the waters within them. What are ocean scientists doing to better understand the hadal zone?
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