Final stage of Lake Baikal research with Mir submersibles starts
IRKUTSK. August 4. KAZINFORM. The final stage of deepwater research has started on Lake Baikal with the use of the Mir-1 and Mir-2 manned submersibles. The expedition on the Metropolia floating platform tugged by the Academician Koptyug motor ship on Tuesday left the Listvyanka village at the head of the Angara River and set the course towards the north of the lake; KAzinform refers to Itar-Tass.
"Before the end of August it is planned to make several dozen dives with the participation of scientists of the Siberian Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Geographic Department of Moscow State University (MGU), researchers from foreign countries," the directorate of the Fund for assistance to the preservation of the unique water body told Itar-Tass.
The Mir deepwater submersibles will conduct research in the northern hollow of Baikal. It is the youngest (some 12-15 million years), compared with the southern and middle hollows of the lake. And, correspondingly, it is shallower - about 900 metres against more than 1,500 metres in other hollows. However, there are many unexplored places here, large forms of underwater relief and plenty of thermal water sources.
The expedition participants will travel to the mysterious Ryty Cape, which, according to Buryat legends, is "sacred and frightful where angry gods live<' as well as will see the picturesque Frolikha Lake, Ayaya Bay with underwater relief and other interesting objects.
The Mir is 7.8 m long, 3.6 m wide, 3.0 m high, and weighs 18,600 kg (maximum payload is 290 kg). The personnel sphere's walls are 5 cm thick, and the inside diameter of the working area is 2.1 m. Three viewports are provided (viewport material is 18 cm thick): the forward-facing port is 20 cm diameter; the two side-facing ports are 12 cm diameter each.
Air pressure inside the cabin remains at a constant one atmosphere: the air is recycled in a manner similar to that used on board spacecraft, with lithium hydroxide scrubbers removing accumulated carbon dioxide.
VHF radio is used to maintain communication with the surface. The units contain imaging sonar units of 250 metre range, so nearby objects can be visualized and their distance measured; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.