submersible small, mobile undersea research vessel capable of functioning in the ocean depths. Development of a great variety of submersibles during the later 1950s and 1960s came about as a result of improved technology and in response to a demonstrated need for the capability to visit the ocean depths to make direct observations and measurements, to recover lost equipment, and for possible rescue activity. Submersibles are constructed in a variety of sizes and shapes and are designed to perform different and often highly specialized tasks. All contain power sources and one or more sensors, among them lights, photo and video cameras, sonar hydrophones, instruments for measuring environmental parameters, side-scanning sonars, and geophysical devices (magnetometer, acoustic profiler, gravimeter). Some also have mechanical arms (manipulators) to collect samples and perform other modest tasks outside the vessel. Manned submersibles also have a crew compartment within a pressure hull and life-support systems. The modular construction of some vehicles permits easy modification of them for different operational tasks. In recent years, it has become clear that special purpose, unmanned submersible vehicles can augment or replace manned submersibles. There are two basic types of unmanned submersibles. The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is controlled from the surface by a tether, or cable, which is used to transmit power to the vehicle and serve as the medium through which the...
submersible small, mobile undersea research vessel capable of functioning in the ocean depths. Development of a great variety of submersibles during the later 1950s and 1960s came about as a result of improved technology and in response to a demonstrated need for the capability to visit the ocean depths to make direct observations and measurements, to recover lost equipment, and for possible rescue activity. Submersibles are constructed in a variety of sizes and shapes and are designed to perform different and often highly specialized tasks. All contain power sources and one or more sensors, among them lights, photo and video cameras, sonar hydrophones, instruments for measuring environmental parameters, side-scanning sonars, and geophysical devices (magnetometer, acoustic profiler, gravimeter). Some also have mechanical arms (manipulators) to collect samples and perform other modest tasks outside the vessel. Manned submersibles also have a crew compartment within a pressure hull and life-support systems. The modular construction of some vehicles permits easy modification of them for different operational tasks. In recent years, it has become clear that special purpose, unmanned submersible vehicles can augment or replace manned submersibles. There are two basic types of unmanned submersibles. The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is controlled from the surface by a tether, or cable, which is used to transmit power to the vehicle and serve as the medium through which the...
