Relevance: GS Paper - III

News Excerpt:

To examine biodiversity and explore deep-sea resources, India's first manned Deep Ocean Mission, called "Samudrayaan", intends to send three people in a submersible down to a depth of six kilometers (6000m) in the ocean.

About DOM:

• It is India’s ambitious program, chiefly implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). 

• It is one of nine tasks implemented under the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC).

• Supporting blue trade, blue manufacturing in India, and the blue economy priority area are critical priorities for DOM.

• It was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 at a cost of nearly Rs 4,077 crore over five years in a phased manner.

Six pillars of the mission:

• Development of technologies:

  • Creation of deep-sea mining technology and a manned submersible that can descend to 6,000 meters below the ocean's surface with three people on board.

  • Various research instruments, sensors, and an integrated system for extracting polymetallic nodules from the central Indian Ocean.

• Ocean Climate Change advisory services:

  • Building advisory services for ocean climate change that use a variety of ocean measurements and models to comprehend and forecast future climate.

• Technological innovations:

  • Focus on technological advancements for the study and preservation of biodiversity in the deep sea.

• Identify potential sites of multi-metal hydrothermal sulfide mineralization:

  • Determination of potential areas for multi-metal hydrothermal sulfide mineralization throughout the mid-oceanic ridges of the Indian Ocean by deep-ocean survey and exploration.

• Harnessing energy and freshwater from the ocean:

  • Exploration and development of devices to capture energy from oceanic sources, including thermal, wave, and tidal energy.

• Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology:

  • Establishing a cutting-edge Marine Station for Ocean Biology as a center for developing talent and advancing new directions in blue biotechnology and ocean biology.

Why has a depth of 6,000 m been chosen?

• India has committed to the sustainable exploitation of precious minerals, such as polymetallic sulfides and nodules. 

• For this reason, ISA (International Seabed Authority) has given India 10,000 sq. km. at 26° S and a 75,000-sq.-km. area in the middle Indian Ocean.

• Polymetallic sulfides occur at around 3,000 m in the central Indian Ocean, while polymetallic nodules, which contain precious metals including copper, manganese, nickel, iron, and cobalt, are found at a depth of about 5,000 m.

• Therefore, our interests span depths of 3,000-5,500 m. By equipping ourselves to operate at a depth of 6,000 m, we can effectively cater to both the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and the central Indian Ocean.

Estimated Ocean Resources for India:

• Preliminary estimates indicate that the area allocated to us has 380 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of Polymetallic Nodules (PMN). 

• It comprises Copper, Nickel, Cobalt, and Manganese which are available within an allocated area of 75000 sq. km for exploration of PMN in the Central Indian Ocean Basin.

• The estimated value of these metals is about 110 billion US$. The polymetallic sulfides are expected to contain rare earth minerals including gold and silver.

Challenges associated with the exploration of the deep oceans:

• High Pressure:

• An object of one square meter area below 1 meter underwater experiences a weight of around 10,000 kg, which is equivalent to a huge adult elephant.

• Requirement of meticulously designed equipment:

• Working in such high-pressure situations calls for the usage of carefully planned machinery made of durable metals or materials.

• Inadequately built equipment implodes or collapses inside the water.

• Incredibly soft and muddy surface at sea-bed:

• This factor renders it exceedingly difficult for heavy vehicles to land or maneuver, as they would inevitably sink.

• Extraction of minerals:

• The process of extracting resources necessitates pumping them to the surface, which is a power- and energy-intensive operation.

• Because there is no electromagnetic wave transmission in the deep water, remotely operated vehicles are useless there.

• Another major obstacle is visibility since natural light can only reach a few tens of meters below the surface.

• Others factors:

• Variations in temperature, corrosion, salinity, etc., all of which compound the problems.

Significance of MATSYA-6000 on the global front:

• It aims to reach the ocean bed at a depth of 6,000 m.

• The submersible, which is driven by three crew members known as "aquanauts," is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments and apparatuses 

• That will make it easier to conduct experiments, gather samples, make basic audio and video recordings, and make observations.

• Japan, France, China, Russia, and the United States have all completed successful deep-ocean crewed missions before. 

• India is prepared to become one of these countries by showcasing its proficiency and ability to conduct crewed deep-ocean missions.

• It seamlessly combines the best and most feasible features of remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous remote vehicles (AUVs).

• Three people can travel within the 2.1-meter diameter specialized sphere that makes up the interior of Matsya-6000. 

• The human sphere would be roughly 28 tonnes in weight and have a short-sleeved, life-supporting environment that removes carbon dioxide and supplies oxygen.

• The sphere is made of titanium alloy and designed to sustain pressures as high as 6,000 bar. 

• It has three viewports that let the crew see its surroundings in real-time, and it has propellers that allow it to move in all six directions.

• Communication will be achieved through sound – an acoustic phone and modem.

• Importantly, it will not be actively lowered through sinking; instead, it will function as a free-floating system, for energy efficiency. 

• It can move at a speed of about 5.5 km/hr using underwater thrusters, which is adequate.

• With Matsya, India will have the sole entire ecosystem of underwater vehicles, including deep-water ROVs, polar ROVs, AUVs, and deep-water coring systems.

Environmental impact of DOM:

• As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), various organisms reside here in harsh environments like low oxygen and sunshine levels, high pressure, and extremely cold temperatures.

• Even before they are discovered by science, these mining missions have the potential to wipe them off. 

• The biodiversity and ecology of the deep water are still poorly understood, which makes it challenging to evaluate the effects on the ecosystem.

• As per Environmentalists, sediment plumes will be generated as the suspended particles can rise to the surface harming the filter feeders in the upper ocean layers.

• There are also concerns regarding the noise and light pollution from the mining vehicles and oil spills from the operating vessels.

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