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Instrument Platform Details
Hydrates Crawler
The Barkley hydrates crawler, nicknamed "Wally", is one of two mobile instrument platforms in our network (the other is our Vertical Profiler System). Wally's mission, crawling the hydrates fields in Barkley Canyon, is to help researchers carry out detailed investigations of processes influencing gas hydrates evolution at the seafloor.
Wally is connected to the Barkley Hydrates instrument platform via a 70m cable, which provides power and communications. The crawler “crawls” on dual tractor treads, which allow a full range of forward, backward and turning movement. Including its titanium frame, drive motors, sealed electronics chambers, wiring, lights, HD video camera, and sensors, the unit's out-of-water weight is 275 kg. With syntactic foam floatation blocks attached, this is reduced to an in-water weight of 40 kg. One unique feature is its control interface, which plugs directly into the Web. If all works out as planned, you'll one day be able to tune in to a live sea floor crawl on the NEPTUNE website.
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Instruments on this platform
Instruments positioned nearby
(The hydrates crawler is not connected to any satellite instruments.)
Location
Connected to Barkley Slope/Canyon node on 19 Sep 2009 from the R/V Thompson.
- Depth: 871.0m
- Lat: 48°18.7164'N
- Lon: 126°03.9529'W
Overview map showing platforms and instruments in the Barkley hydrates area. (Click to enlarge.)
Photos
Click the images to see enlarged pictures with full captions.
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 Rigging Wally for deployment.
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Hoisting ROPOS hoists Wally.  German technicians with Wally the Crawler.  ROPOS and Wally ready to dive. |
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Placement on seafloor.  Wally the crawler.  Farewell, Wally. |
Installed Platforms
Barkley Canyon/Slope
Barkley Upper SlopeBarkley Hydrates
Barkley Benthic Pod 2
Vertical Profiler System
Hydrates Crawler
Barkley Canyon Axis (Pod 1)
Barkley Benthic Pod 3
Barkley Benthic Pod 4
Folger Passage
Folger DeepFolger Pinnacle
ODP 889
ODP 889 Instrument PlatformODP 889 Seismometer Auxiliary Platform
ODP 1027
ODP 1027 Instrument PlatformP.O. Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria BC, Canada, V8W 2Y2
1 250 472 5400 | Contact Us
