Day 3 - Last day at dock

2nd february 2022

It smells like departure!

The ship will sail in the early evening. We are all very excited to reach the EMSO-WL site and to start the operations.

We have all stowed our belongings in order to secure them: on board everything must be tied up or behind a barrier. We need to take those measures to avoid falls, losses and breakage of objects due to the swell.
No joke with this precaution in the laboratory! Flammable liquids, high-pressure gases and valuable micro-organism samples are handled there. The equipment is the same as on land but the storage is a bit more demanding.

Chloé B.'s bench is tidy and strangely decorated... These are her lucky charms hanging! A pink and a yellow bacterium to bring luck during the manipulations!

Preparation of the first mission

The technical teams on board are organizing the required equipments for the devices of the first operation planned during the night. They positioned the bridle to make a test with the crane.

The first operation will take place tonight at 4:00 am. It concerns the launching of the Scientific Junction Box (from Ifremer) and its 200m of connection cable, as well as the seismometer (from GeoAzur) which will take advantage of the operation to be immersed at the same time. The devices will be dropped at 2400m on the EMSO-LO site.

The Sientific Junction Box (SJB)

The SJB is designed by Ifremer and plays a fundamental role in the success of the mission operations. It will provide electricity and internet to the bottom infrastructures. It works as a multi-socket and an internet box but in a more sophisticated version. To receive and transmit energy, the SJB will be connected to a 'Node' (think of it as a connection point in the depth) provided by the LSPM KM3NeT Neutrino Telescope already in place. Thus, the SJB will connect the following devices: 

- BathyBot, the underwater robot developed by INSU and MIO
- the BioCam, an intelligent camera developed by the IP2I and the DT-INSU
- the seismometer, a seismic measurement tool developed by UMR GEOAZUR 
- the radiometer, a radioactivity measurement tool of the CPPM

The SJB is remotely operated and has a capacity of 6 connections.

Crédit photo : Nicolas Fromont - @nicolasfromontphoto

 

 

CNRS-images meets BathyBot

Sonia, videographer at CNRS-images, has the chance to have a privileged moment face to face with BathyBot.

Sonia is in charge of recording the mission in video, but she is not the only one to document on board...

 

Crédit photo : Nicolas Fromont - @nicolasfromontphoto

 

 

Ok GO !

Weather conditions are much better and The Pourquoi Pas? leaves La Seyne-sur-Mer to reach the EMSO-LO site on a beautiful sunset. The ship should reach the site in the evening!