A staff of scientists from Istanbul College (IU) has launched into an expedition into the depths of the Marmara Sea, using a robotic digital camera system to discover and doc the mysteries of its not often studied marine ecosystems.
With the expertise used within the analysis, researchers captured photos of organisms thriving within the uncharted territories of this submerged world.
Descending to depths of roughly 200 meters (655 toes), the scientists are probing the enigmatic world the place daylight seldom reaches. The robotic digital camera not solely captures visuals of those deep-sea inhabitants but additionally information essential mild measurements, shedding mild on the distinctive situations prevailing on this lightless realm.
Affiliate professor Bülent Topaloğlu from the Division of Marine Biology expressed the importance of this endeavor, stating, “For the primary time in Türkiye, we’re visually documenting these creatures utilizing an underwater robotic, and we intention to attract conclusions by analyzing these photos.”
This formidable venture, spearheaded by IU’s School of Aquatic Sciences, focuses on learning the distribution and biodiversity of organisms akin to sponges, corals and hydroids residing within the depths of the Marmara Sea. Over the course of two years, scientists launched into two analysis voyages aboard the college’s analysis vessel, “R/V Yunus-S,” to delve into the mysteries of this comparatively uncharted marine atmosphere.
Topaloğlu highlighted the difficult nature of this analysis, saying, “Finding out creatures at these depths presents vital difficulties. Nonetheless, our underwater robotic allows us to visually doc these organisms and supplies priceless insights. Moreover, we’re gathering samples deemed essential utilizing the robotic’s arm.”
He confused on the groundbreaking nature of this analysis, emphasizing that such in-depth exploration of the Marmara Sea’s depths has been restricted in Türkiye. “By higher understanding the dynamics of those communities, which exist in full darkness past a sure depth, we will develop methods for his or her safety,” Topaloğlu added.
Professor Nur Eda Topçu, one other key member of the staff, shared her perspective on the venture, revealing her long-standing analysis on corals within the Marmara Sea. “The corals on this area are really distinctive. Now we have been diving to a depth of 40 meters with scuba gear within the islands area, south of Marmara, to review and monitor these extraordinary coral communities and their well being.”
Topçu expressed the staff’s curiosity concerning the unknown, saying: “We wished to discover what lies past this depth. Therefore, we initiated this venture to determine the varieties of corals discovered at depths of fifty meters and past, their habitat preferences, and the accompanying sponges and hydroids.”
The IU staff repeatedly deployed a remotely operated car (ROV), outfitted with an underwater imaging system, into the Marmara Sea’s darkish abysses, capturing real-time photos and gathering samples from the seabed. Moreover, they developed a light-weight meter to file variations in mild ranges from the ocean floor to its profound depths.
The info and pictures amassed throughout this pioneering analysis might be painstakingly analyzed, body by body, providing invaluable insights for future scientific investigations.