titanica / subject background
Scientific Objectives
The Titanic wreck site became a deep sea environmental observatory for the Russians and Canadians. Scientists and engineers from the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Geological Survey of Canada and Petro-Canada Resources took advantage of the state-of-the-art technology used to film Titanica in IMAX to investigate environmental processes active in the deep ocean.
The superbly-equipped submersibles were invaluable for the scientific research. Designed and built by Finland's RAUMA-REPOLA Oceanics to the specifications of designer/engineer Anatoly Sagalevitch, the submersibles were modified to accommodate the weight of the IMAX cameras, lights and power package. A sea water scrub device regenerates the atmosphere during the dives "making everybody feel well," smiles Sagalevitch. The high-power battery system, recharged after every dive, has twice as much power as other submersibles, which could spend a maximum of l0 hours on the sea bottom as opposed to the 20 hours on the Mirs, which travel at a top speed of five knots with a range of 18 miles (30km). The emergency life support time for the three-man crew is 72 hours.
Using the Titanic as a time gauge, the expedition's chief scientist Steve Blasco, a Canadian marine geologist, and Lev Moskalev, a Russian biologist, conducted an integrated scientific program and made a number of observations: the ocean depths at 12,500 feet (4,000 metres) are not the inert, isolated, lifeless void as generally perceived to be. This has a bearing on using the seafloor to dump waste. Bottom currents of l/4 to l/2 knot or more sweep through the site with considerable irregularity and with no consistent direction. These currents move bottom sediments around to form patches of sand ripples, like those seen on the beaches of the Caribbean.
The pilots had difficulty in navigating the subs which often bumped into the wreck, shoved there by the currents. Using Kristof's 3D video footage, the scientists could measure the size of the sand ripples to determine the magnitude and direction of bottom currents.
Some l0,000 years ago, a spectacular massive submarine landslide, taking the form of a 'turbidity current' of fluidized muds, sands and gravels ripped down the upper slopes of Titanic Valley to come to rest as a rubble heap on the floor of the valley. These ancient deposits (more than one-million years old) underlying the Titanic wreck are very dense. The bow section penetrated only 16 feet (five metres) into these tough sediments, and wreckage from boilers to deck benches rest atop these sediments. If normal ocean-bottom oozy muds had been present, the Titanic and its debris would have been buried.
The articulated arms of the Mir submersibles were able to reach out and push 12-inch-long (30 cm) titanium tubes into the seafloor to recover sediment core samples. Analysis showed that these sediments may not absorb or contain toxic or other wastes that may be disposed of in the future. Toxic waste canisters would barely penetrate the surface at best, and may even become damaged on impact, possibly releasing toxic waste for recirculation in the environment and food chain.
The environment appears to be dynamic and biologically active. Twenty-eight species of animals and four species of fish inhabit the wreck site. Corals, crabs, shrimp, anemones, starfish and large rattail fish create the impression of a biologically alive, limited activity environment. Worms and other animals inhabit bottom sediments, generating burrows, mounds and 'bioturbating' the sediments.
Two processes, chemical and biological, are corroding the Titanic at a substantial rate. However, it looks like the biological— bacteria metabolizing the iron, producing rusticles— is more dominant. Myriads of rusticles (shaped like icicles) dangling from all parts of the ship, piles of fallen rusticles on the seabed adjacent to the hull, rivers of rust flowing from the wreck and across decking and plating coated with rust combine to create this first impression.
Follow-up research includes studying the issue of the ship and its dynamics, how it broke up and sank. Remarks Blasco on first viewing the IMAX footage, "Not only did the quality and the resolution of IMAX imagery allow us to make positive identifications, but we saw the extent of the sediment disturbance more clearly on screen than through the porthole. We actually saw how much the impact of the Titanic had plowed up and disturbed the sea floor sediment creating big piles 30 to 75 feet (10 to 23 metres) of upthrust sediment. We didn't see that before. And Moskalev saw four additional species of animals. The IMAX film has made a huge scientific impact."
Like all the expedition members, Blasco was emotionally moved by the wreck of the Titanic. He reminisces, "The sub was pretty minuscule compared to that gigantic wreck down there. Even though I knew it was 882 feet (270 metres) long, when we came up over the bow and actually sat down on the deck, it was huge. It was spooky and haunting. It took us a long time to get over it."
