The first manned Chilean expedition will descend into the depths of the Atacama Trench

After driving “Atacamex”, The expedition in 2018 reached the deepest point of the Atacama Trench by an unmanned vehicle. Once again, scientists from the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) will reach the depths of the Atacama Trench, but this time with a spokeswoman’s gaze.

Then in January 2018, they descended from an unmanned vehicle more than 8,000 meters deep to collect and sample different species from as yet unpublished species, in an feat depicted in the documentary Atakamix: Exploring the Unknown. For reference, the Titanic was submerged at an altitude of 3,821 meters.

During the departure of the new mission -What do you think? In the presence of the Minister of Science Andrés Covey, and Seremi of the Central Macrozone, Director IMO, Dr Osvaldo Ulloa, María José Escobar explained, thanks Atacamex “We have been able to add important discoveries about our seabed, including very valuable information about the physical and chemical properties of the water in each of its layers.”

Similarly, “We obtained data on environmental DNA, as well as unique images of organisms that live in the depths. An example of the above is the discovery of a new species of crustacean named Eurythenes Atacamensis”, he added.

The new campaign is called Atacama Hadal, with support from the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation; The support of the University of Concepcion and the sponsorship of Lotria Chile, stems from an invitation from the American businessman and explorer Victor Vescovo, owner of the research vessel “DSSV pressure drop” and “DSV reducing factor”– Who traveled and explored the largest ocean trenches in the world.

On this occasion, Veskovo intends to do the same in the Atacama Trench, for which the IMO invited to join this expedition. “The great opportunity and the tremendous privilege it means for us to be invited to take part in this wonderful adventure, because Victor Veskovo is changing the boundaries of ocean exploration,” said Ulloa.

For IMO, the main objective of this expedition is to be able to map the sea floor in the trench to determine the optimal location for installing the sensors of the IDOOS project, an initiative awarded in ANID FONDEQUIP 2020 Which aims to establish the first well-established deep-ocean observing system, to study both the structure and the temporal change of the physical, geochemical and biological conditions present in the area, as well as the deformation of the sea floor over time.

This will allow interdisciplinary work Discover, appreciate and understand different processes that occur in the depths of the ocean. In addition, it will provide scientific evidence that can be used to monitor climate change and eventually implement an early warning system for earthquakes and tsunamis.

In this sense, the Minister of Science, Anders Cove, noted the importance of this new campaign. “Exploring the Atacama Trench allows us to move the boundaries of what is known and open ourselves to new knowledge and questions that value the conditions of the territory and the field sciences, by following A long tradition started by Claudio Guy, highlighted.

Doing science by and for territory expands our opportunities to generate knowledge with local and global impact,” in this case, surveying the ocean floor to locate Where advanced seismic sensors will be installed and she is part From the Fund for Scientific and Technological Instruments ANID. Undertaking these incredible expeditions of the highest degree of complexity required international alliances and institutional formulation that we helped manage from the ministry,” added Cove.

The President of the University of Concepcion, Dr. Carlos Saavedra, noted that “Participation in a manned expedition to the greatest depth off the Chilean coast is An invaluable scientific and technological opportunity This was made possible thanks to the international recognition and visibility of the activities of the International Maritime Organization. We are very proud of this participation of researchers from our university, particularly Dr. Ulloa, in this important milestone in the history of national oceanographic research and our institution.”

This expedition will be documented by the same film crew responsible for the documentary Atacamex –Led by Julian Rosenblatt- who hope to record a new achievement of Chilean science that contributes to the consolidation of the marine culture of our country.