China Achieves Historic First Manned Deep Dive Under Arctic Ice

Historic Arctic Foray Concludes

China has successfully completed its first manned deep dive below the Arctic polar ice, a significant milestone achieved during its 15th Arctic scientific expedition. This extensive mission, which concluded on September 26, also marked the world's first coordinated crewed-uncrewed submersible operation in the polar region. The expedition aimed to enhance understanding of the rapidly changing Arctic environment and its implications for global climate change.

The Pioneering Dive

The historic manned deep dive was carried out in early August, specifically on August 6, by the submersible Jiaolong. The Jiaolong, launched from its mother ship Shen Hai Yi Hao (Deep Sea No. 1), conducted operations in the Chukchi Sea, approximately 300 nautical miles northwest of Alaska. While the exact depth of the Arctic dive was not disclosed, the Jiaolong is designed for a maximum depth of 7,000 meters and has previously reached 3,759 meters in the South China Sea. This achievement positions China as one of a handful of nations capable of such deep-sea exploration under ice-covered waters.

Coordinated Operations and Scientific Discoveries

A key innovation of this expedition was the world's first coordinated operation between a manned submersible and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Arctic. Fu Wentao, chief pilot of the Jiaolong, noted that this expanded the submersible's operational capabilities, allowing for collaborative efforts in communication and positioning. The coordinated dives involved the ROV filming the Jiaolong collecting biological and sediment samples, and the manned submersible transferring materials to the ROV, with both vehicles capturing footage of each other on the seabed. According to Li Dewei, a project leader at the National Deep Sea Center, this synergy 'can achieve a synergy where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,' compensating for limitations in large-scale sampling.

The expedition's scientific objectives included comprehensive marine environmental surveys and multidisciplinary studies along the ice edge. Researchers collected hundreds of deep-sea samples and data on:

• Biodiversity
• Ocean hydrology
• Sea ice conditions
• Water chemistry

Preliminary findings revealed significant differences in the density, biodiversity, and individual body sizes of benthic organisms across various Arctic regions. These findings are expected to provide crucial support for understanding the distribution patterns of polar deep-sea organisms and assessing the impacts of climate change on Arctic ecosystems. The mission also utilized artificial intelligence (AI) for biological identification from high-definition image data.

Expedition Scope and International Monitoring

The 15th Arctic scientific expedition was China's largest and most comprehensive polar mission to date, involving a fleet of four vessels: the icebreaker Xue Long 2, the research vessel Ji Di, the Shen Hai Yi Hao, and the Tan Suo San Hao. The fleet set sail from Qingdao in July and voyaged as far as latitude 77.5 degrees north. The expedition has significantly advanced China's understanding of the Arctic Ocean and its global climate implications, providing data essential for improving marine environment forecasting.

During the expedition, U.S. authorities closely monitored Chinese activities. The U.S. Coast Guard deployed C-130J Hercules aircraft and icebreakers Healy and Storis to track the mission, particularly as Chinese vessels entered the Extended Continental Shelf.