Archimède
Encyclopedia
The bathyscaphe
Archimède is a deep diving research submersible
of the French Navy
. It used 42000 gal of hexane
as the gasoline
buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. Archimede was the first vehicle to reach the deepest part of the Atlantic, 27510 feet (8,385 m) down into the Puerto Rico Trench
.
Archimede was christened on 27 July 1961, at the French Navy base of Toulon. It was designed to go beyond 30000 yards (27,432 m), and weighed 61 tons.
In October 1961, Archimede passed its first dive tests, diving to 5000 feet (1,524 m) unmanned.
On 27 November 1961, Archimede achieved a speed of 3knots, over a distance of 4.5 miles (7.2 km) at a depth of 7870 feet (2,398.8 m) in the Mediterranean.
On 23 May 1962, Archimede descended to 15744 feet (4,798.8 m) off Honshu, Japan, in the Pacific, at the Japan Deep.
On 15 July 1962, Archimede descended to 31350 feet (9,555.5 m) into the Kurile-Kamchatcha Trench, making it the second deepest dive ever, at that point in time, second only to the Bathyscaphe Trieste
dive on the Challenger Deep
.
On 12 August 1962, Archimede descended to 30511 feet (9,299.8 m) in the Japan Deep south of Tokyo
.
Archimede explored the Mid-Atlantic Ridge jointly with the submarine Cyana and submersible DSV Alvin
, in Project F.A.M.O.U.S.(French American Mid Ocean Underwater Survey) in 1974.
Archimede operated until the 1970s. As of 2008, it is on operational reserve, at Toulon.
The Archimede was honoured with a stamp in Palau
.
Bathyscaphe
A bathyscaphe is a free-diving self-propelled deep-sea submersible, consisting of a crew cabin similar to a bathysphere, but suspended below a float rather than from a surface cable, as in the classic bathysphere design....
Archimède is a deep diving research submersible
Submersible
A submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
of the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
. It used 42000 gal of hexane
Hexane
Hexane is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C6H14; that is, an alkane with six carbon atoms.The term may refer to any of four other structural isomers with that formula, or to a mixture of them. In the IUPAC nomenclature, however, hexane is the unbranched isomer ; the other four structures...
as the gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. Archimede was the first vehicle to reach the deepest part of the Atlantic, 27510 feet (8,385 m) down into the Puerto Rico Trench
Puerto Rico Trench
The Puerto Rico Trench is an oceanic trench located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The trench is associated with a complex transition between the subduction zone to the south along the Lesser Antilles island arc and the major transform fault zone or plate boundary...
.
Archimede was christened on 27 July 1961, at the French Navy base of Toulon. It was designed to go beyond 30000 yards (27,432 m), and weighed 61 tons.
In October 1961, Archimede passed its first dive tests, diving to 5000 feet (1,524 m) unmanned.
On 27 November 1961, Archimede achieved a speed of 3knots, over a distance of 4.5 miles (7.2 km) at a depth of 7870 feet (2,398.8 m) in the Mediterranean.
On 23 May 1962, Archimede descended to 15744 feet (4,798.8 m) off Honshu, Japan, in the Pacific, at the Japan Deep.
On 15 July 1962, Archimede descended to 31350 feet (9,555.5 m) into the Kurile-Kamchatcha Trench, making it the second deepest dive ever, at that point in time, second only to the Bathyscaphe Trieste
Bathyscaphe Trieste
The Trieste is a Swiss-designed, Italian-built deep-diving research bathyscaphe with a crew of two, which reached a record maximum depth of about , in the deepest known part of the Earth's oceans, the Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench near Guam, on January 23, 1960, crewed by Jacques Piccard ...
dive on the Challenger Deep
Challenger Deep
The Challenger Deep is the deepest known point in the oceans, with a depth of to by direct measurement from submersibles, and slightly more by sonar bathymetry . It is located at the southern end of the Mariana Trench near the Mariana Islands group...
.
On 12 August 1962, Archimede descended to 30511 feet (9,299.8 m) in the Japan Deep south of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Archimede explored the Mid-Atlantic Ridge jointly with the submarine Cyana and submersible DSV Alvin
DSV Alvin
Alvin is a manned deep-ocean research submersible owned by the United States Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The vehicle was built by General Mills' Electronics Group in the same factory used to manufacture breakfast cereal-producing...
, in Project F.A.M.O.U.S.(French American Mid Ocean Underwater Survey) in 1974.
Archimede operated until the 1970s. As of 2008, it is on operational reserve, at Toulon.
The Archimede was honoured with a stamp in Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
.