China News Online, December 6th (Reporter Xu Jing) The reporter learned from Shanghai Jiaotong University on the 6th that the Shanghai Jiaotong University’s "Four-member Deep Sea Science" team led by Xiao Xiang, director of the Deep Life International Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University and professor of the School of Life Sciences and Technology "Examination team", took the "Discovery One" scientific research ship, ended the mission of the abyssal scientific research in the western Pacific Ocean, and returned to Sanya on the 5th.

During this voyage, the team from the Deep Life International Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University successfully completed 8 dive missions (2 times of 10,000 meters and 3 times of 9,000 meters) with the "Struggle" manned submersible, including the Mariana Trench The "Challenger Abyss" and the first human arrival in the Yapu Trench, an unknown area at a depth of 8919 meters; collected and processed more than 200 precious abyss samples, including water bodies, sediments, rocks and macro organisms, and measured a series of environmental parameters. Provide precious materials and valuable data for studying the abyss ecosystem.

　　In addition to Xiao Xiang, the "four-person deep-sea scientific research team" of Shanghai Jiaotong University has three young members. They are Zhang Yu, a researcher at the Ocean School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Wang Yinzhen, an associate researcher at the School of Life Sciences and Technology, and Zhao Weipan, an assistant researcher. The "post-85" born in 1988.

In this scientific expedition, the four dived to the east and west pits and the north and south slopes at the bottom of the "Challenger Depth" of the Mariana Trench.

Prior to this, Xiao Xiang and the two submariners arrived at an unknown area at a depth of 8,919 meters in the Yapu Trench. This is the first time that humans have reached the area.

After the two flight segments TS21-1 and TS21-2, 8 scientific researchers from Shanghai Jiaotong University have carried out deep research work at the abyss level. Two of them have reached the deepest point of the ocean, which is not available in international universities. precedent.

Beautiful sample of ten thousand meters of sediment in the Mariana Trench.

Photo courtesy of Shanghai Jiaotong University

　　"At the bottom of the Yap Trench, we found and captured macro-organisms such as sea cucumbers, starfish, sea anemones, sponges, etc. The high-density macro-organisms also imply the abundance of microorganisms in sediments and water bodies. Although humans have never arrived, we still observe The impact of human activities (garbage).” Xiao Xiang said that they also trapped two different types of hook prawns at the bottom of the west pit of the Mariana Trench and collected sea cucumbers and other samples. “We found that no matter what Whether it is the individual size of the macro organism or the density of macro organisms, the 10,000-meter trench is less than 9,000 meters or less, but as a whole, this is by no means a forbidden zone for life. The impact of human activities on the deepest point of the ocean is also visible from time to time. Our main work is still Focusing on the abyssal microorganisms, follow-up will combine laboratory simulation cultivation and other research to answer major scientific issues such as biodiversity, the origin and boundary of life, the impact of climate change, and the degradation of pollutants."

　　More than 13 hours of deep diving and more than 24 hours of subsequent sample processing... Such high-intensity work has become "commonplace" for the "four-person deep-sea scientific expedition team".

No matter how sunny the outdoors, Wang Yinzhen’s work is done in a low temperature cold storage at 4℃; Zhang Yu has worked at sea for nearly 4 months from August 11 to the shore on December 5; Zhao Weitan did it during the voyage. After hundreds of samples were cultured under high pressure, all four high-pressure pumps were broken and then repaired.

Long-term repeated mechanical operations have caused different degrees of fatigue damage to the fingers, wrists, and waist of the two female scientists, Zhang Yu and Zhao Weitao, but they have always adhered to the high-standard handling and preservation of samples.

During the dive, there are about 1.5-2 hours of scientific report sessions every day. Scientists, submariners, and crews from different disciplines and units exchange experiences and collide ideas, forming a more effective way of cooperation. Everyone watched for dozens of hours. Analyze the deep-sea in-situ videos and photos, learn the offshore field work experience and the use of equipment, and assume the corresponding responsibilities.

Group photo of the four fighters of the National Chiao Tung University (from left to right: Xiao Xiang, Wang Yinzhen, Zhao Weipan, and Zhang Yu).

Photo courtesy of Shanghai Jiaotong University

　　Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Deep Life International Research Center is the first team to carry out deep-sea microbiology research in China. In 2018, it received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China's innovation group. It proposed and carried out collaborative research around the deep-sea "high-pressure life co-adaptation" theory.

The center is also the only international scientist group organization for international deep life research. In 2021, it presided over the selection of 5 outstanding papers published in 2020 and 2 new deep life academic stars in the world.

As the co-chief unit of this voyage, the team reached a consensus with other scientists participating in the voyage to systematically and continuously carry out environmental and ecological research on the Mariana Trench. Major scientific issues such as environmental adaptation, biodiversity and climate change.

It is proposed to establish a standardized platform system for the abyss scientific examination based on the principle of "voluntary compliance and conscious practice" to realize the long-term preservation and sharing of samples and data of the abyss scientific examination, and support the international large-scale scientific cooperation around the abyss.

(over)