Overview
- Argentina-linked scientists are broadcasting dives as ROV SuBastian surveys seafloor life around 200–600 meters deep during an expedition running through October 29.
- Current coverage identifies SHN oceanographer Silvia Romero as chief scientist, with a multidisciplinary team from SHN, UBA and Conicet conducting measurements rather than collecting animals.
- The campaign targets the Bahía Blanca and Almirante Brown submarine canyons to map habitats, sample water and sediments, and study fronts formed by converging warm and cold currents.
- Tools include the ROV SuBastian, a SEAEXPLORER X2 glider, Niskin sampling bottles and about 50 GPS-tracked drifter buoys to track currents, salinity, temperature and related variables.
- Live footage has shown diverse fauna alongside litter such as cans and suspected microplastics on the seabed, which scientists noted require confirmation and are not the mission’s primary focus.