Alvin and the Shipmunks

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Hi everyone! Now that I have my graduate school applications in, I’ll be posting more frequently.

I keep talking about the Alvin submersible, but how does it work? I thought it’d be helpful to outline the vehicle and team that is making all this science possible. It’s a sophisticated machine with a lot of thought put into safety and utility for deep-sea exploration, so I will do my best to summarize it without going into too much detail.

Meet the Submersible:

Alvin is an iconic human-occupied, Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) operated out of Woods Hole Institute of Oceanography (WHOI) and travels with the R/V Atlantis. This 23-foot submersible powered by two 60-cell lead acid batteries is able to take a pilot and two science observers up to 6,500 meters deep, a recent upgrade made in 2021, surpassing the previous limit of 4,500 meters. The outer shell is made of syntactic foam, a buoyant, yet sturdy material, and the scientists dive within a 2.815 inch thick, 2-meter diameter titanium sphere that resists the 10,000 lbs/in2 pressure at 6,500 m and the corrosiveness of seawater. The sphere has five portholes with thick acrylic windows and a top plug shaped like cones that seal better with higher pressure. With 7 thrusters and 2 ballast systems, the submersible is able to move in any direction and control its buoyancy, how it floats in water, along with a mercury trim system that allows the sub to pitch back and forth. Alvin also has 3 sets of weights (~350lbs each) that can be dropped on either side that control descent and ascent rates.

              Alvin is well equipped for all our science needs. With 2 manipulator arms controlled by the pilot, they can grab science instruments, tools like scoops and suction hoses, and collect samples with joints similar to human arms. On the front of the sub is a platform, called the “basket”, that can hold up to 400lbs where containers and instruments can be attached for use in the deep. These arms can open these boxes and undo elastic or bungee cords to secure collections, grab temperature probes and water samplers, or open purses that our sandwiches are in for this cruise. Alvin also hosts a number of cameras that allow us to record our deployments, survey our sites, identify organisms, and take videos we can use to trace the history of sites and further analyze in the future. A 4K resolution camera and one 1080p PATZ camera on each side offer pan and tilt capabilities with zoom, focus, and ISO manipulation for the science observers. The pilot also makes use of a pilot cam above the central window, one under the sub and one pointing aft (backwards) to orient themselves during operations. Of course, the sub also has lights on the brow above the windows, on the sides, below, and behind to be able to see in the vast darkness of the seafloor.

              What most of you are wondering is probably the safety of the submersible. There are rigorous checks before and after each dive, and many safety measures in place in case of an emergency. With 12 tanks of pure oxygen inside, and CO2 scrubbers, 3 people could survive 3 days at the seafloor, but operations are limited to daylight, so dives do not typically last longer than 9 hours (8-5pm). Inside the sphere are oxygen sensors and leak detectors that would catch any causes for concern. The position of the sub is tracked from the ship, and multiple communications systems allow the pilot to relay information to another member of the team throughout the entire dive. In cases of emergency, whether Alvin gets stuck, or needs to emergency ascent, extra weight stacks can be dropped, but most of the pieces of Alvin that stick out can be dropped, including the basket, 5 of the 7 thrusters, and the arms. The extensive training pilots go through before they can solo dive and the above measures made me feel completely safe within the submersible.

Meet the Team:

Working in the deep-sea in challenging, and it can be a brutal place. Thankfully we have an excellent team of engineers on board that travel with Alvin, solving any issues encountered during, before, or after a dive. They work diligently and put up with our last-minute requests as we manipulate the basket and change science objectives overnight. Without their hard work, none of our science objectives would be achievable.

Left to right: Benen Elshakhs, Nick Osadcia, Nick Ellis, John Dymek, Kaitlyn Beardshear, Rick Sanger, Matt Skorina, Bruce Strickrott, Randy Holt.

Benen Elshakhs – Mechanical Technician. The newest member of the Alvin team, Benen from Storrs, Connecticut, joined the team in June of 2022 after working as an integration engineer for an aerospace company in California. He received a B.S. In Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Nick Osadcia – Mechanical Section Lead / Pilot in Training (PIT). From Plymouth, Massachusetts, joined the team in August of 2018 after volunteering with Alvin since 2016. He first received an Associate’s in Environmental Studies from Cape Cod Community College, and then a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Massachusetts. He met the team when he was working with Julie Huber at the Marine Biological Laboratory. He’s currently finishing his PIT training and will be the next Alvin pilot.

Nick Ellis – Mechanical Technician. Nick has been involved with Alvin since 2018, with a history of robotics in high school, he interned with Alvin under the MATE program and joined the team during the overhaul in 2020 assisting in the new design work. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara.

John Dymek – Mechanical Technician. Joining the team in March of 2021, John came from working with warehouse robots in Boston, Massachusetts. While receiving his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University, he participated in coop programs focused on hands-on learning with hydro-electric vehicles and biomed applications. Joining the team after a friend at WHOI recommended it to him, he says it would be difficult to return to a desk job.

Kaitlyn Beardshear – Electrical Technician / Pilot in Training (PIT). From Monterey Bay, California, Kaitlyn was introduced to working with Alvin through the MATE program. Fun fact, the Arellano Lab went to sea with Kaitlyn as an intern and has now seen her graduate to the newest Alvin PIT on our last cruise. She received a B.S. in marine science from California State University Monterey Bay and afterwards began working with marine robotics, autonomous and remote operated vehicles, then returned to pursue an Associate’s in Mechanical Engineering. She is currently studying for a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State while she works at sea.

Rick Sanger – Electrical Section Lead / Alvin Pilot. Rick joined the Alvin team in 2011 but worked with WHOI for 25 years before as an engineer helping biologists designing instruments. Rick is the most knowledgeable about the systems of Alvin, having helped develop most of them! As the newest pilot, Rick now works with the scientists on board to conduct research safely and efficiently in the deep sea. He has currently done around 15 solo pilot dives and has a new-pilot party on the way.

Matt Skorina – Electrical Technician. A local Washingtonian from Walla Walla, WA, Matt joined the Alvin team in April of 2022. After graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, he met a WHOI graduate student that inspired him to apply to work with Alvin and get involved with science support. Matt can often be seen sporting a fantastic galaxy romper when taking on the swimmer role for deployments and recoveries.

Bruce Strickrott – Alvin Program Manager / Senior Pilot. A member of the Alvin team since 1996, Bruce has been instrumental to Alvin’s success and the success of science in the deep-sea for decades. With over 380 solo dives, Bruce is in the running for the most Alvin dives of any pilot. Graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Ocean Engineering, he enjoys using technology to alter people’s perceptions of the world. As a pilot he cracks jokes, tells entertaining stories, and a phenomenal playlist to make every dive memorable, whether a scientist’s first, or one of many. Most importantly, he also exhibits a mastery of the submersible, knowledgeable about the exact size to get into the smallest of spaces and makes using the manipulator arms look like extensions of himself.

Randy Holt – Expedition Leader. Joining the team in January of 2021, Randy acts as the coordinator between the ship, the scientists, and the Alvin crew to complete the objectives of the research cruise. A Western Washington University alumnus, Randy received a B.S. in Industrial Technology where he worked on an engineering project designing a human-powered wet submersible. Randy has extensive experience with submersibles from working with Ocean Gate in Seattle, and as a contractor sub pilot.

Justin Smith – Alvin Data Specialist. Another Washington native, Justin grew up in Seattle, WA. While Justin has extensive ship-going experience, this is his first cruise working closely with Alvin as their data coordinator. Justin is crucial to the scientists assisting with transferring the photos, videos, and navigation data from Alvin after every dive. He has worked closely with scientists acting as the marine technician for years on the for the Kilo Moana, University of Hawaii’s research vessel, the same university where he received a B.S. in Environmental Science.

Scientists Meet Alvin:

For many of us, this is our first time sailing with Alvin. Never imagining being able to visit the deep-sea, we’re hopeful for a chance to dive with the submersible and see first-hand these unique habitats. Luckily on this cruise we have a lot of science to deploy and recover, planning around 20 dives. With two scientists per dive, everyone on board should get the chance to experience the once-in-a-lifetime feeling of visiting the seafloor. Many of the students in the different labs on board have projects focusing on these vents, so they are eager to see their sites, organisms, and potentially explore new locations for future plans. During our science meetings, Shawn will announce who is diving the next day, each student hoping that it’s them.

              There are a few rituals that our scientists participate, voluntarily, in during a dive. After you walk up the A-frame to the bridge leading you to the sub, our scientists give a wave to the rest of the group, take of their shoes, and enter the sub. After 8 hours crammed in the small sphere, they give another wave as they stretch their legs once climbed out of the sub to our cheers. The most fun comes once the scientist returns to the group. We listen to them recount their dive, the new experiences they’ve had, and then we ask them to sit down. Then, with consent, usually a fellow lab member or advisor who has dived before, will dump a bucket of the coldest water they could make on them, welcoming the newest Alvin aquanauts. It’s always important to remove your shoes and glasses before this! We share laughs and congratulations and then urge them to dry off before our science meeting.

Visiting the seafloor is a life-changing experience for anyone, but especially to us that have dedicated ourselves to studying and protecting the ocean. We want to share these experiences with our friends and family but wish you could all go down with us. Follow along as we continue to explore these exciting vent habitats on this cruise, and the science behind our research.

New Alvin Aquanaut Olivia Cannon
New Alvin Aquanaut Tanika Ladd

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