US Titanic discoverer embarks on new mission

Underwater explorer, Robert Ballard speaks onstage in Pasadena, California on January 13, 2012
Underwater explorer, Robert Ballard speaks onstage in Pasadena, California on January 13, 2012

US ocean explorer Robert Ballard, famed for his 1985 discovery of the Titanic, embarked Wednesday on an expedition in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

At the helm of the Nautilus, Ballard and his team will, among other things, research marine ecosystems and over the course of four months.

"We've started our 2014 Expedition! We are transiting to our first dive site and plan to launch our first dive off Bimini," the team said on its website after heading out to sea from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Enthusiasts can follow the 211-foot (64-meter) vessel, decked out with state of the art technology, via www.nautiluslive.org as it makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico to Trinidad and Tobago on the eastern edge of the Caribbean.

Led by Ballard, the researchers are seeking to discover new underwater ecosystems, as well as probe the movement of the seabed and , which could provide new clues on earthquakes and tsunamis.

High-tech equipment on board the Nautilus includes so-called remotely operated vehicles to collect samples and video, as well as a "hull-mounted multibeam sonar system," according to its website.

Ballard is known for a variety of expeditions, including the discoveries of the wrecks of the Titanic, the USS Yorktown and the German battleship Bismarck.

© 2014 AFP

Citation: US Titanic discoverer embarks on new mission (2014, June 11) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2014-06-titanic-discoverer-embarks-mission.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Scientists to explore Caribbean faults, volcanoes (Update)

0 shares

Feedback to editors