Near the end of August the Chinese government celebrated successful voyages of a new submarine that will put China at the forefront of deep-sea exploration.
The Jiaolong, as it is called, is meant to allow Chinese scientists to go as deep as 4.35 miles, or 7,000 meters, which gives them access to most of the remote areas of the seabed and access to 99.8 percent of the ocean floor, according to The New York Times.
The Chinese have a deliberate purpose in mind for the new project: the acquisition of oil and other minerals locked beneath the ocean floor. Basically, they are seeking to make an economic gain off the Jiaolong’s ability to search for mining sites. Once the sites are located, they plan to dig up the new sources of capital wealth and energy.
The submarine is not a solution to the problem of mining that deep, but it will put China ahead of other nations in the race to accessible sites.
It is a great advancement for the undersea program of China and an opportunity for other nations to advance their own programs, but as of now China’s intent for the use of the technology is debatable.
Will the Jiaolong bring good or bad results after the drilling and mining begins? In the aftermath of the British Petroleum oil spill, the consideration for new drilling spots, especially at that depth, must be made with the utmost caution.
China is relatively new in the field of deep-ocean exploration and must take appropriate measures to avoid negative incidents.
In the event of a disaster at these future sites, the recovery time will be immensely slow, if not impossible. Especially if you consider how much trouble the BP oil spill was to fix, and that was at an approximate depth of only 5,000 feet.
As far as the Jiaolong’s advanced capabilities apply to the United States, it is a prime opportunity to advance our own capabilities of deep-ocean exploration. The Chinese purchased parts for the submersible from several other countries, such as Russia and the United States.
It is within the United State’s capability to improve our own exploration submarines. The ability to explore and chart the ocean floor in-person could prove to be beneficial to our country.
As the current environmental policies stand under President Barack Obama, the White House has a plan and task force devoted to protecting the environments of the oceans. The government recognizes the growing commercial and scientific activities and seeks to allow its continuance with the smallest possible impact on the ocean’s environment.
A submersible like the Jiaolong would provide an excellent service to the National Ocean Council’s research.
In cooperation with other methods of research that the NOC is using, a submersible with the depth capabilities of the Jiaolong would prove to be a valuable asset in the research and analysis of the oceans. The research and development involved with constructing a deep-ocean submersible would generate jobs. The conclusions drawn from the collected data could lead to economic stimulus in the form of safely harnessed renewable energies.
Overall, the advancement in science and diving capabilities is an amazing feat, and is one that could be greatly employed by the United States in its effort to study and safely interact with the oceans.
Sink Andrew’s inbox at agwaterh@asu.edu
