School of Marine Science and Technology Leads the Voyage down to the South China Sea

A Photo of Professor Wei Hao(on the right side) and Mr.Nie Hongtao(on the left side) before the Voyage

On May 10, 2015, the advanced marine comprehensive exploration ship of China called“Dong Fang HongII”departs from its home port in Qingdao City to Southern Sea for the mission performance which is called the “South China Sea Basin Comprehensive Voyage (voyage number: NORC2015-05)” by China National Foundation Committee. Pro.Wei Hao who is from School of Marine Science and Technology，Tianjin University, as one of the chief scientists, is responsible for this scientific exploration which is the first time for teachers in Tianjin University as the chief scientists to make an joint effort in marine scientific exploration of national level. Mr.Nie Hongtao in the college also participates in this exploration.

Shared Voyage, belonging to the Shared Voyage Plan financed for promoting original innovations of marine science and technology by National Foundation Committee, approves projects after judgment for the found projects, investigates the vessels called for tenders, and appoints the chief scientist. Pro.Wei, as a panel of the experts of Shared Voyage Plan of National Foundation Committee, was also be appointed as the chief scientist of NORC2015-05. Scientists in the voyage are from the following work units as Ocean University of China, Xiamen University, Tongji University, Peking University, Tianjin University, Tianjin University of Science & Technology,South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica , accounting to over 70 people with 32 fund projects in all. The voyage covers the northern and middle parts of abyssal basin of the South China Sea as its main observatory areas with a predicted duration of more than 60 days on the sea. The scientific exploration aims at, through the means of sample collection of disciplines such as physics ocean, marine creature, marine chemistry, marine geology and marine , of section survey and cruising observation, supply the first-hand data for carrying out comprehensive researches on South China Sea marine science so as to understand and explore the way and destination that how the intermediate water of Pacific Ocean enters into the South China Sea, the combination of the intermediate water and deep water, the distribution of biological communities in the road slope and deep water of South China Sea, the chemical process between marine dynamics and biological earth, the process of deep circulation and deposit transport in the northeast of South China Sea, the marine bio-pump and its regulation mechanism of the edge in low latitudes. All these endeavors will make people have a better and deep understanding for the regularities of “the evolution of the deep water in South China Sea”.

(Manuscript provider: Nie Hongtao, responsible editor: Song Libin)