Explore the 'missing world' under the Caribbean Sea

Scientists at the National Oceanographic Center, Southampton, have been exploring the deepest volcanoes on the ocean floor. They discovered what existed in the 'missing world' 5 kilometers deep in the Caribbean Sea.

The group of researchers led by Dr Jon Copley recently received £ 462,000 from the Natural Environment Research Council for the expedition to the Cayman Trough between Jamaica and Cayman Islands. This crack in the Caribbean sea floor leads to a depth of more than 5000 m below sea level. There was the deepest oceanic volcano chain of the world that has never been discovered.

Researchers plan to conduct two expeditions over the next three years using the UK's most advanced research vessel, RRS James Cook. The expedition team could launch the remote control Isis ship and a British robot submarine from the ship called Autosub6000 into the abyss.

The group will seek additional geological features as well as new species of marine life in cracks in the seabed. Dr Bramley Murton, a geologist, uses a cantilevering navigation system that does not affect whales to map an unprecedented undersea volcanic sequence to understand their formation. At the same time, Dr. Kate Stansfield and oceanographer will first study deep ocean currents under the Cayman Trough. And Doug Connelly, a geologist, will hunt for craters on the sea floor. The crater is home to strange deep-sea creatures that will be studied by Dr. Jon Copley and Professor Paul Tyler - two marine biologists.

Scientists at the National Oceanographic Center, Southampton have taken a world tour of the deepest volcanoes on the ocean floor.They discovered what existed in the 'missing world' 5 kilometers deep in the Caribbean Sea. (Photo: ScienceDaily)

'The Cayman Trough slot may be' missing world 'that gives us the missing information about deep-sea life , ' said Dr. Copley. Copley is currently a lecturer at the University of Southampton's School of Marine and Earth Sciences. The crater in the Atlantic is the home of the blind shrimp family as well as the home of unusual boys. But the same craters in the northern Pacific are home to meter-long pipe worms that look weird. Researchers hope to find creatures living in the Cayman Trough to find out if they are related to creatures in the Pacific and Atlantic; or they are completely different.

Before North America and South America joined together three million years ago, then there was a very deep passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. This means that the undersea volcanoes of the Cayman Trough may contain the 'missing link' between the seabed life between the two great oceans. Finding the organisms that live under the slit will help scientists understand life patterns around the world.

Dr. Copley said: 'The deep ocean is the largest ecosystem on our planet, so we need to understand its life model. The expedition in the ocean also helped us find new cancer treatments as well as internet fiber optic cables, all thanks to the deep-sea creatures. '

Working at depths above 5 kilometers requires deep diving equipment to the maximum. Isis is Britain's deepest diving remote control vehicle, it reaches a depth of 6,500 m. The team will control Isis from their research vessel to film the ocean floor as well as collect specimens from its robotic arms.

Autosub6000 - another undersea auto produced in Southampton - can dive up to 6,000 m. Autosub6000 is an automatic underwater vehicle, a robot submarine that can perform its own tasks without remote control. The team will launch Autosub6000 from their ship to survey the area and hunt for volcanic craters.

Dr. Copley said: 'The seabed crater is located on British waters recognized by the United Nations. We now have the right technique to explore. ' The public will be able to track the progress of the expedition through websites updated by the explorer ship. The group also invited a teacher to collaborate and share a scientific expedition with classes around the world '.