Deep-sea Environment Exploration Program and Deep-sea Microorganisms Collecting - Cultivating System

• Published in: The Review of High Pressure Science and Technology Vol. 1; no. 3; pp. 226 - 233
• Main Authors: Otsuki, Toshi, Kyo, Masanori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo The Japan Society of High Pressure Science and Technology 1992; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• ISSN: 0917-639X; 1348-1940
• DOI: 10.4131/jshpreview.1.226

JAMSTEC, in order to effectively promote research and development of the deep-sea environments, inaugurated a new “Deep-sea Environment Exploration Program (DEEP) ” in October 1990. The new program, launched following the completion of a world-class submersible, the “SHINKAI 6500” and its support vessel “YOKOSUKA” (4500 tons), and based on JAMSTEC's past deep-sea research experience, reflects our growing interest in studying the deep-sea more analytically, one step forward from the “descriptive”-type research that we have traditionally been engaged in. The DEEP will enlist the services of the researchers on contract with JAMSTEC and organize them into respective study groups to pursue basic and pioneer-type research. In order to support research activities of the DEEP, JAMSTEC has been engaged in developing the “Deep-sea Microorganisms Collecting - Cultivating System (DMCCS) ” as a four-year plan starting 1990. Under the system, specimens will be collected and kept in the same environmental conditions (pressure and temperature) in which they naturally grow. Then they will be diluted, isolated and cultured in facilities built on the ground and kept in an environment equivalent to deep-sea. The DMCCS consists of four subsystems ; the sediment sampler, dilution device, isolation device, and culture vessel.