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| Jason II | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jason II |
| Type | Remotely Operated Vehicle |
| Operator | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| Builder | Deep Ocean Engineering; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution |
| Ordered | 1980s |
| Launched | 1990s |
| Status | Retired / museum |
| Class | Jason-class ROV |
| Crew | Remotely operated |
| Sensors | High-resolution camera, sonar, manipulator arms |
| Propulsion | Electric thrusters |
Jason II
Jason II is a deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) developed for scientific research, hydrothermal vent studies, and salvage operations. Designed as a work-class ROV, Jason II served aboard research vessels and participated in interdisciplinary expeditions with institutions such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and international partners including University of Tokyo and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The vehicle contributed to discoveries at sites like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Juan de Fuca Ridge, and Bouvet Island region.
Jason II functioned as a tethered ROV capable of reaching abyssal depths and performing precision tasks with manipulator systems and scientific payload bays. It was integrated into operations with deep submergence assets such as Alvin (submersible), Nautile, and ROV Victor 6000 for coordinated studies of hydrothermal vents, chemosynthetic ecosystems, and seafloor geology. Funded and used by agencies including National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and international consortia, Jason II supported multidisciplinary work in marine geology, microbiology, and ocean chemistry.
Development traces to engineering programs at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and commercial firms like Deep Ocean Engineering responding to demands after expeditions such as the discovery of hydrothermal vents on the Galápagos Rift. Early prototypes were influenced by designs from Alvin upgrades and lessons from ROV Jason predecessors. Formal deployment began following trials with research vessels including RV Atlantis (AGOR-25), RV Thomas G. Thompson (T-AGOR-9), and RV Knorr. Collaborations with universities—Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Washington, Dalhousie University—shaped sensor suites and manipulator development.
Jason II featured modular architecture with a pressure-tolerant electronics skid, multiple electric thrusters, and dual 7-function manipulator arms adapted from industrial manipulators used by Schilling Robotics and Foster-Miller. Imaging systems combined high-definition color cameras and wide-angle cameras with forward-looking multibeam and side-scan sonar from suppliers aligned with systems used on ROV Kaiko and ROV Hyball. Navigation relied on ultra-short baseline (USBL) systems interoperable with transponders similar to those used on Argo (research vessel) missions and acoustic positioning arrays deployed by Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Power and data were transmitted through an armored fiber-optic tether compatible with winches on ships like RV Melville (AGOR-14).
Payload bays accommodated sampling systems used by microbiologists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and geochemists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, including push cores, suction samplers, and rock corers derived from tools originally designed for Deep Sea Drilling Project expeditions. Environmental monitoring packages included CTD sensors and in-situ mass spectrometers similar to instruments aboard JOIDES Resolution and platforms used in Ocean Drilling Program science.
Jason II participated in expeditions to study hydrothermal vent fields on the East Pacific Rise, biodiversity surveys near the Ross Sea, cold seep investigations along the Gulf of Mexico continental slope, and archaeological surveys in partnership with NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Notable missions included coordinated studies with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute on methane seeps and collaborative mapping projects with National Geophysical Data Center teams. The vehicle was deployed from research vessels including RV Roger Revelle (T-AGOR-24) and supported international efforts with organizations like InterRidge and the International Seabed Authority-funded programs.
Throughout its service life Jason II underwent incremental upgrades: enhanced imaging packages incorporating low-light cameras used in HOV Alvin operations, upgraded manipulators with greater dexterity modeled after systems in ROV Hercules, and updated telemetry to accommodate fiber-optic multiplexing technologies developed in collaboration with Bell Labs-linked research centers. Specialized variants added heavy-duty tooling for salvage tasks akin to equipment on CURV-21 and scientific sensor suites for molecular biology experiments coordinated with Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology.
Jason II operations encountered cable failures, entanglements, and a high-profile recovery after tether breakage during a mission near Juan de Fuca Ridge that required assistance from RRS James Cook-class assets. Debates arose over jurisdiction and environmental impact during salvage operations in economically sensitive regions administered by entities such as the International Seabed Authority and coastal states like New Zealand and Chile. Criticism from conservation groups, including organizations aligned with Greenpeace, focused on potential disturbance of fragile chemosynthetic communities during sampling campaigns.
Jason II advanced ROV capability for interdisciplinary ocean science, influencing designs of later vehicles like ROV Jason (newer) successors and informing operational protocols used by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and international programs. Its data supported publications in journals where researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory contributed to understanding seafloor volcanism, biogeochemical cycles, and deep-sea biodiversity. The vehicle’s technological lineage persists in modern platforms used by institutions such as Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and national fleets supporting International Ocean Discovery Program initiatives.
Category:Remotely operated vehicles