How India studies the deep sea: Onboard research ship
Ever wondered how scientists explore the deep sea?
NDTV spent 30 hours on the ORV Sagar Manjusha, a research ship run by India's National Institute of Ocean Technology.
The source does not state the vessel's build year; this vessel cruises the Arabian Sea and is one of five ocean research vessels used by India.
The ship is packed with various scientific gear
Sagar Manjusha is packed with gear like sub-bottom profilers that send sound waves to map what's beneath the seabed and ADCPs that track how fast and in which direction currents flow.
There's also a CTD device to measure water temperature, saltiness, and depth down to 1,000 meters.
From analyzing minerals to oil, every trip is an adventure
The crew uses gravity corers to pull up samples from below the seafloor. They collect sediment and biological samples using nets, and gather water data using CTD instruments, then analyze the samples in on board labs for clues about minerals or oil.
As hydrographic engineer Raajesh explained, these tools help scientists understand what lies beneath, making every trip a real-life science adventure.