Abstract

In order to make progress in the study of processes in deep-sea ecosystems, we have developed a strategy for the use of submersibles in conjunction with free vehicles. The BIOCYAN programme, which was conducted by French oceanographers at a permanent station in the Bay of Biscay, involved the use of submersibles for benthic ecological studies. It lead to the development of a variety of equipment for sampling and experimental studies. The submersible Cyana has a limited equipment workload, so the initial step was to develop a free vehicle which could function as a shuttle to act as an independent transport for equipment to be used from the submersible. Two other devices have been developed for sampling with precision the surficial layers of the sediment, one of which can be used in conjunction with an injection module to measure rates of processes in situ by incubations, following injection with labelled substrates. These devices, the free-lift shuttle, tube corers, a blade box corer and the associated injection module are described.

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