Publikationsdatum:
2018-09-12
Beschreibung:
SUMMARY
Dedicated research vessels that are capable to operate during all seasons of
the year and under unfavourable weather conditions in the central Arctic Ocean
and in the Southern Ocean are required to fulfil the new needs of polar ocean
research for all marine disciplines. Today, no available research vessel has
these required capabilities. Thus, the initiative was taken to develop a novel and
dedicated research icebreaker with technical capabilities hitherto unrealised,
which will enable the vessel to autonomously operate in the Arctic Ocean even
during the severest ice conditions in the deep winter serving all marine disciplines
of polar research including deep-sea drilling: The AURORA BOREALIS.
The technical conceptual design of this research icebreaker with scientific deepsea
drilling capability AURORA BOREALIS is summarised in this report.
AURORA BOREALIS is planned to be a „European scientific flagship facility‟
open to non-European partners, a multidisciplinary platform for studies ranging
from the sub-seafloor into the atmosphere. The ability of AURORA BOREALIS
to penetrate into the harshest conditions on Earth and to carry out research in
the polar winter can set new standards in the fields of polar research and naval
architecture, including environmental safety and sustainability of the highest
standards. Currently, no polar research vessel has the capability to autonomously
operate in pack ice outside the optimal ice conditions of the late summer
season. AURORA BOREALIS, in contrast, is planned as a multi-purpose icebreaking
research vessel for Arctic and Antarctic operations with the capability
to autonomously navigate in sea-ice with a thickness of more than 2.5 metres.
This will for the first time facilitate year-round research, e.g. on the nature of
global environmental change.
The ship shall have the unique capability to perform scientific deep-sea drilling
operations in water depths between 100 and 5000 metres with a penetration of
more than 1000 metres into the seafloor, even while being located amid drifting
pack-ice fields. To perform these drilling operations AURORA BOREALIS has to
be kept exactly on position. A dynamic positioning system capable for manoeuvring
and staying on position in drifting sea-ice is mandatory for this task –
an absolute novelty in the shipping industry. Another unique characteristic of
AURORA BOREALIS are the two moon pools (7 x 7 meters each) in the midst
of the hull that reach into the water below the vessel and enable scientists to
deploy equipment into the ocean without being subject to wind, waves and ice.
The aft moon pool is mainly dedicated to drilling operations, while the forward
moon pool is reserved for most other scientific equipment. This allows as a first
the deployment of very sensitive and expensive equipment, e.g. remotely operated
(ROVʼs) or autonomous (AUVʼs) underwater vehicles within completely
closed sea ice cover. Scientific laboratories are located on several decks
around the moon pool, which is designed in an atrium-like shape with circular
walkways and preparation areas. In order to optimally equip the ship even for
mission specific expeditions, containerized laboratories can be also loaded here
and become fully integrated into the scientific workflow on board.
Repository-Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Materialart:
"Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung"
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notRev
Format:
application/pdf
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