Modern inner space explorers have created many vehicles to support oceanography all over the world. The avid need to explore underwater world became more significant when geologists and oceanographers realized that weather changes, erosion of rocks, and sediments have settled down on sea floor which can be useful in estimating fundamental information about earth. In order to reveal secrets of earth and its origination, modern vehicles have been discovered. This paper shall discuss some latest tools and vehicles invented by modern oceanographers. Also, differentiating characteristics of these vehicles will be covered.
Underwater vehicles are used by divers to stay for longer time in water. There are three common types of underwater vehicles such as autonomous underwater vehicle, human occupied vehicles (HOVs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
Human Occupied Vehicles are very expensive carriers that allow one or more persons to travel in it. It helps discoverers to go deeper inside water but it allows them to stay underwater for limited hours only. On other hand, explorers have remotely operated vehicles that do not allow human drivers as they have wired or remote systems. These are controlled by an expert from a remote location. It is designed to go to such areas under water that might be considered dangerous for humans (Seas, 2003). Therefore, they are especially designed with circuits that enable scrutiny in danger areas.
Types of ROVs
There are three basic types of ROVs depending upon the size of vehicle, such as small ROVs, middle-sized ROVs and large or working class ROVs. Small ROVs are simply made up of tiny camera that goes 300 meters deep inside water and send images, while middle-sized ROVs have more electric capability to go 7,000 meter deep under the water and it is usually used by scientists. Working class ROVs are most advanced form of remote control vehicle especially designed to drill and repair sea bed (Steele, Thorpe, & Turekian, 2009). These vehicles have several functioning grabbers and manipulators that help performing some serious subsea functions.
Types of HOVs
There are various types of Human Occupied Vehicles which include Navel Submarine, Merchant Submarine, Human Torpedoes, Deep Submerge Rescue Vehicle, Deep Sea Submerge Vehicle, Personal Submarine, and Midget Submarine. These inner space vehicles have distinguishing attributes, designed to perform different functions deep under water. As these vehicles are different from each other thus, their characteristics also affect its uses.
For example, Naval Submarines are considered defense submarines that are used only during war time in the country (Sharda, 2011). Similarly, Deep Submerge Rescue Vehicles are also used during war time for naval rescue operations. However, personal submarines are used by oceanographers and explorers for research purpose. In addition, there are some human occupied vehicles that are simply used to visit life under water (Steele, Thorpe, & Turekian, 2009). Such vehicles are known as pleasure submarines which allow people to go inside water just for entertainment.
Basic Difference between HOVs and ROVs
Basic difference between HOVs and ROVs is that ROVs are controlled by people on land surface with the help of remotes whereas HOVs are driven by explorers sitting in the control area of human occupied vehicles (Steele, Thorpe, & Turekian, 2009). Also, ROVs are attached with the cables therefore they can travel as far as cable will permit them while HOVs do not have any cables and these can travel distance limited to their range.
Reference List
Seas, N. R. (2003). Exploration of the Seas:Interim report. Washington DC: National Academies Press. Web.
Sharda. (2011). Difference Types of Submarines and Underwater Vessels. Web.
Steele, J., Thorpe, S., & Turekian, K. (2009). Measurement Techniques, Platforms & Sensors:A Derivative of the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences. London: Academic Press. Web.