We Know More About the Moon Than 60 percent of Earth’s Surface
Now the University of Bergen wants to uncover the secrets of the dark ocean, by establishing a national centre for deep-sea innovation.
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The deep-sea research community at the University of Bergen (UiB) is now working to establish a national centre for deep-sea innovation. The centre will bring together researchers, technologists, and industry to develop knowledge and technology that will give us more insight into the deep ocean.
På havobservasjonslaboratoriet med Rolf Birger Pedersen og Maja Lian Jæger
Join Rolf Birger Pedersen and senior engineer Maja Lian Jæger for a closer look at ÆGIR6000.
Recently, they were granted NOK 70 million from the Ministry of Energy and the Norwegian Offshore Directorate to acquire an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) called HUGIN Superior. This was marked by a visit to the University Museum from Minister of Research and Higher Education Sigrun Aasland and Kongsberg Discovery director Martin Wien Fjell. Professor Rolf Birger Pedersen gave a tour of the deep-sea exhibition.
“Until now, the deep sea has been almost completely inaccessible to humanity. In fact, we still know more about the Moon than 60 percent of Earth’s surface. Still, we have better maps of the Moon than we do of the deep sea. UiB has been at the forefront of deep-sea research since we discovered signs of hydrothermal vents in the Norwegian Sea in the 1990s. Now we’re going down with robots and submersibles to see if it can be of use to us. That requires more knowledge about the deep sea,” said Professor Rolf Birger Pedersen, the initiator of the innovation centre, along the way.
He showed the pioneers’ equipment and drew historical lines. It became clear how far we have come in terms of technology since the early days – from Nansen’s first documentation of seafloor mountains and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, to the discovery of echo sounding around 1900, to the post-war era when superpowers like the USA, Russia, and Japan developed the first submersibles capable of diving to great depths. This opened a new frontier in research and helped us understand the dynamics of how the Earth is formed – all the way up to today.
With Minister of Research and Higher Education Sigrun Aasland and several key partners present, Rolf Birger Pedersen reflected on the historical journey during the launch of the state-of-the-art AUV, HUGIN Superior.
The tour celebrated UiB’s contract with Kongsberg Discovery to acquire HUGIN Superior. Getting this new robot represents a major step forward and expands the reach of deep-sea exploration.
“Now we have received funding for a fantastic new robot, which allows us to map the deep ocean in much greater detail.
HUGIN Superior is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to mapping Norway’s deep-sea areas – both to strengthen our understanding of the environment and of deep-sea resources,” said Pedersen.
A leap in efficiency: From flashlight searching to high-resolution mapping
As he guided the guests from one room to the next, he also marked the transition from past to present. What began with researchers on surface vessels has evolved into tools that let them descend and study the deep sea from within.
With the main tool for deep-sea work, the ROV ÆGIR6000, and now the AUV HUGIN Superior, UiB researchers can observe species and primitive life forms few have seen before – and traces of life billions of years old. Pedersen spoke of iron-eating bacteria, so-called chemosynthetic life forms, that live in hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. The same kind of life they’re searching for on Mars.
“It’s believed that these types of microorganisms created massive iron deposits, which we now use to make steel and build cars. So this is very important,” said Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Deep-Sea Research, Steffen Leth Jørgensen.
During the tour, Pedersen showcased equipment developed by early pioneers. In their own ways, Sars’ nets and ice scrapers, Nansen’s water sampler, Helland Hansen’s photometer for measuring underwater light, Sverdrup’s current meter, and others contributed to major breakthroughs leading to today’s advanced tools.
Pedersen came straight to the tour from the Visnes mine on Karmøy, where the copper for the Statue of Liberty’s outer shell was sourced.
The room they enter is dark.
“When we descend into the deep sea with a submersible, it’s pitch black. Once the lights are on, visibility is limited to just a few meters. It’s like trying to study 60 percent of Earth’s surface with a small flashlight. An impossible task. It may sound strange, but that’s the reason we use sound to ‘see’ underwater when surveying large ocean areas,” said Pedersen.
You can’t see into the deep sea. That’s part of why we rely on different technologies and acoustics,” said Pedersen to UiB’s rector and Minister Sigrun Aasland. “Kongsberg — the company behind HUGIN Superior — are experts in this field, and we’ve had a strong collaboration with them for years.”
Mapping the Norwegian Sea is a massive task. Every summer, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate collects seabed data using research vessels. They’ve created a map with a resolution of one data point every 20 meters — that’s 20x20 meters. In comparison, satellite maps typically offer one data point per kilometer, or 1000x1000 meters.
Hugin Superior is a precision tool. Its sensors can collect data with a resolution as fine as 3x3 centimeters. It moves like a bat, sending out sound waves and listening for echoes. Using hydroacoustics — sound in water — it can scan 500 meters to each side while traveling at nearly 10 kilometers per hour (5 knots). It can dive down to 6000 meters and operate continuously for three days.
In short: Hugin Superior can map up to 4.5 square kilometers of seabed per hour — generating billions of data points every hour.
“This makes it extremely efficient for data collection. That’s important for geological studies, resource mapping, and environmental monitoring,” said Martin Wien Fjell, CEO of Kongsberg Discovery, during the launch event.
“We’re in challenging but also incredibly exciting times for research and technology development in Norway,” said Minister of Research and Higher Education Sigrun Aasland.
“We recently launched Polhavet 2050, a billion-kroner initiative for polar and deep-sea research over the next ten years. We’re investing in research communities like the one here at the University of Bergen, which is already among the world leaders in ocean, climate, and Arctic studies — fields where Norway should absolutely be at the forefront.”
She also emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration between research and industry.
UiB’s research community leads innovation in deep-sea exploration
UiB has long worked with industry to develop deep-sea research tools. Back in the 1990s, UiB helped build Norway’s first research ROV (remotely operated vehicle). It was used in 2005 when scientists discovered hydrothermal vents in the Norwegian Sea for the first time — named Soria Moria and Trollveggen, near Jan Mayen. In 2014, UiB challenged the company Kystdesign in Haugesund to build the first ROV capable of diving to 6000 meters.
“At 6000 meters, the conditions are unforgiving. The pressure can crush materials like a tube of toothpaste. Earlier robots could only reach 3000 meters. So this required both modifications and stronger components to withstand the pressure. The result was ÆGIR6000, our main tool for deep-sea research. Since then, Kystdesign has built many of these for other research institutions around the world,” said Pedersen.
A pink anemone atop an underwater mountain, surrounded by sponges and other marine life. See more images at The Norwegian Marine Robotics Facility (NORMAR): www.normardeepsea.com.
Pedersen’s team, working to establish the new innovation center, includes engineers, technologists, ROV operators, and researchers with strong technical expertise. He also highlights the importance of collaboration with industry in Western Norway and across the country. Both to develop the tools needed for research and to ensure proper maintenance.
“The deep sea covers more than half of Earth’s surface, yet it remains the least explored area we have. Together with our national and international partners, we make sure to stay at the forefront of technology and method development. Future solutions depend on investing in research and innovation,” said head engineer Maja Lian Jæger, who works closely with Pedersen to establish the center.
In addition to the ROV and AUV, the innovation center will develop and test advanced sensors and autonomous platforms for fieldwork. They will use the world’s deepest and northernmost ocean observatory — EMSO-Mohn, located in the Fåvne Field between Greenland and Svalbard — and deploy autonomous glider robots.
An active hydrothermal vent on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge near Jan Mayen. Depth: around 500 meters.