The depths of the world's oceans are shrouded in mystery -- mysteries the scientists and engineers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) are working to reveal. Today Paul R. McGill, electrical engineer at MBARI, joins Leo on "Call for Help" to discuss the institute, its projects, and the new technology improving underwater exploration.

Monterey Bay is one of the most biologically diverse bodies of water in the world. It's bisected by the Monterey Canyon with depths up to 3,600 meters. Researchers need a sharp mind and sturdy technology to brave the ocean's hazards, including underwater tremors, volcanic activity, and water pressure. MBARI's research vessels and data-collection methods use technology (and engineers) to keep scientists relatively safe from these dangers.

MBARI has more than 50 projects on its list of current projects, encompassing ocean science, marine biology, ecology, chemistry, and geology. Items on the list range from a submarine volcanism project tracking how oceanic volcanoes form and change, to developing new ways to interpret data gathered from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

For example, hundreds of earthquakes occur just off the California coastline every day. Pressurized underwater seismometers lodged in the seafloor record each one. Other devices measure ocean currents and log data. But most interesting of all (for the average person) is the launch of an ROV.

ROVs
MBARI operates two ROVs, Tiburon and Ventana. These unmanned vessels are connected to a support ship that controls it. The ROVs can perform experiments, collect data, maintain underwater instruments, and even record what they see.

"The ROV has a camera and the camera is taking video footage in the deep ocean," said Debbie Nail Meyer, MBARI communications coordinator, in an interview with "Tech Live's" David Stevenson. "It's then transmitted up the fiber-optic line that's within the tether that connects the ROV to the ship. Once on the ship the video is then transmitted over an invisible microwave link to a high point here on the [Monterey] peninsula. There are microwave transmitters [there] that send it back to MBARI."

If you're interested in finding out what the ships are doing right now, visit MBARI's Where are the ships? page.