Multiparameter Numerical Investigation of Two Types of Moving Interactions Between the Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle Track Plate and Seabed Soil:Digging and Rotating Motions

To ensure the safe performance of deep-sea mining vehicles(DSMVs),it is necessary to study the mechanical characteristics of the interaction between the seabed soil and the track plate.The rotation and digging motions of the track plate are important links in the contact between the driving mechanism of the DSMV and seabed soil.In this study,a numerical simulation is conducted using the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian(CEL)large deformation numerical method to investigate the interaction between the track plate of the DSMV and the seabed soil under two working conditions:rotating condition and digging condition.First,a soil numerical model is established based on the elastoplastic mechanical characterization using the basic physical and mechanical properties of the seabed soil obtained by in situ sampling.Subsequently,the soil disturbance mechanism and the dynamic mechanical response of the track plate under rotating and digging conditions are obtained through the analysis of the sensitivity of the motion parameters,the grouser structure,the layered soil features and the soil heterogeneity.The results indicate that the above parameters remarkably influence the interaction between the DSMV and the seabed soil.Therefore,it is important to consider the rotating and digging motion of the DSMV in practical engineering to develop a detailed optimization design of the track plate.

Designation of a new genus Bathymenes for the deep-sea pontoniine shrimps of the 'Periclimenes alcocki species group'(Decapoda,Caridea,Palaemonidae),with a checklist of the species assigned to the genus

A new genus of the deep-sea pontoniine shrimps,Bathymenes gen. nov.,is established for the 'Periclimenes alcocki species group' of the genus Periclimenes Costa,1844. The new genus is distinguished from other genera of the Pontoniinae by a combination of characters: the posteriormost dorsal rostral tooth remote from other teeth,situated in the epigastric position,cornea usually reduced,the propodus of second pereiopods covered with fine granules,the dactylus of the major second chela being generally flanged,the ambulatory pereiopods with the dactyli being biunguiculate and telson with more than two pairs of dorsolateral spines. The genus is mainly distributed in the tropical to warm-temperate Indo-West Pacific waters at depths greater than 200 m. Fifteen species previously recognized as belonging to the 'P.a lcocki species group' are now placed in Bathymenes gen. nov. A key for their identification and a checklist of congeneric species are provided.

Blockage of the Deep-Sea Mining Pump Transporting Large Particles with Different Sphericity

The present study aims to plumb blockage of the deep-sea mining pump transporting large particles with different shapes. A numerical work was performed through combining the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) technique and the discrete element method(DEM). Six particle shapes with sphericity ranging from 0.67 to 1.0 were selected. A velocity triangle is built with the absolute, relative, and circumferential velocities of particles. Velocity triangles with absolute velocity angles ranging from 90° to 180° prevail in the first-stage impeller. With declining sphericity, more particles follow the velocity triangle with absolute velocity angles ranging from 0° to 90°, which weakens the ability of particles to pass through the flow passage. Furthermore, the forces acting on the particles traveling in the impeller passage are analyzed. Large particles, especially non-spherical ones, suffer from high centrifugal force and therefore move along the suction surface of the impeller blades. Non-spherical particles undergo great drag force as a result of large surface area. The distribution of drag force angles is featured by two peaks, and one vanishes due to blockage.As particle sphericity declines, both magnitude and angle of the pressure gradient force decrease. Variation of the drag force and the pressure gradient force causes clockwise deflection of the centripetal force, resulting in deflection and elongation of particle trajectory, which increases the possibility of blockage.

Mucus Glycoproteins Selectively Secreted from Bacteriocytes in Gill Filaments of the Deep-Sea Clam <i>Calyptogena okutanii</i>

The deep-sea clam Calyptogena okutanii possesses a large gill containing vertically transmitted symbiotic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. It produces large amounts of highly viscoelastic mucus from the gill, which is thought to be a physical and chemical barrier. The mucus collected from the gill was shown to be composed of glycoproteins having the following sugar composition: Man (17.4%), GlcNAc (16.6%), GalNAc (15%), Glc (1.1%), Gal (29.9%), Xyl (3.0%), Fuc (14.4%), and unknown (2.6%), indicating that it contained mucin-like glycoproteins. In a monoclonal antibody library against the gill tissue, we found a monoclonal antibody (mAb), CokG-B3C10, reacting to the mucus. Western blot analysis using the mAb showed that it reacted to several glycoproteins in the mucus from the gill tissue, but not with those of other tissues such as the mantle, foot, and ovary, where mucus production has been reported in bivalves. Further, immunohistochemical analysis showed the CokG-B3C10 mAb reacting to glycoproteins was detected in the inner area of the gill, which was occupied by many bacteriocytes in the row of gill filaments. Strong mAb signals were found on the outer surface of the bacteriocytes facing the interfilamental space, and in the interfilamental spaces between filaments. Weaker signals were also observed in the bacteriocyte cells. These results indicate that the CokG-B3C10 mAbbinding mucus glycoproteins were produced from cells including bacteriocytes and nonbacteriocyte cells in the inner area of the gill filaments.

Positive selection analysis reveals the deep-sea adaptation of a hadal sea cucumber ( Paelopatides sp.) to the Mariana Trench

The Mariana Trench,the deepest trench on the earth,is ideal for deep-sea adaptation research due to its unique characters,such as the highest hydrostatic pressure on the Earth,constant ice-cold temperature,and eternal darkness.In this study,tissues of a the hadal holothurian(Paelopatides sp.)were fi xed with RNA later in situ at~6501-m depth in the Mariana Trench,which,to our knowledge,is the deepest in-situ fi xed animal sample.A high-quality transcript was obtained by de-novo transcriptome assembly.A maximum likelihood tree was constructed based on the single copy orthologs across nine species with their available omics data.To investigate deep-sea adaptation,113 positively selected genes(PSGs)were identifi ed in Paelopatides sp.Some PSGs such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor(MITF)may contribute to the distinct phenotype of Paelopatides sp.,including its translucent white body and degenerated ossicles.At least eight PSGs(transcription factor 7-like 2[TCF7L2],ETS-related transcription factor Elf-2-like[ELF2],PERQ amino acid-rich with GYF domain-containing protein[GIGYF],cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7a,[COX7A],type I thyroxine 5′-deiodinase[DIO1],translation factor GUF1[GUF1],SWI/SNF related-matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily C and subfamily E,member 1[SMARCC]and[SMARCE1])might be related to cold adaptation.In addition,at least nine PSGs(cell cycle checkpoint control protein[RAD9A],replication factor A3[RPA3],DNA-directed RNA polymerases I/II/III subunit RPABC1[POLR2E],putative TAR DNA-binding protein 43 isoform X2[TARDBP],ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase subunit M1[RRM1],putative serine/threonine-protein kinase[SMG1],transcriptional regulator[ATRX],alkylated DNA repair protein alkB homolog 6[ALKBH6],and PLAC8 motif-containing protein[PLAC8])may facilitate the repair of DNA damage induced by the high hydrostatic pressure,coldness,and high concentration of cadmium in the upper Mariana Trench.

Characterization of Fe(Ⅲ)-Reducing Enrichment Cultures and Isolation of Enterobacter sp. Nan-1 from the Deep-Sea Sediment, South China Sea

To characterize the Fe(III)-reducing bacteria,enrichment cultures were initiated by inoculating deep-sea sediment from the South China Sea(SCS)into the media with hydrous ferric oxide(HFO)as the sole electron acceptor.As indicated by Meta 16S rDNA Amplicon Sequencing,the microorganisms related to Fe(III)-reduction in the enrichment cultures were mainly Shewanella and Enterobacter.A new facultative Fe(III)-reducing bacterium was obtained and identified as Enterobacter sp.Nan-1 based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence and physiological characterizations.Enterobacter sp.Nan-1 was not only a mesophilic bacterium capable of reducing HFO with a wide range of salinity(4,34,40,50 and 60 g L−1)efficiently,but also a piezotolerant bacterium that can proceed Fe(III)-reduction sustainedly at hydrostatic pressures between 0.1 and 50 MPa using glucose and pyruvate as carbon source.Furthermore,the geochemical characteristics of deep-sea sediment indicated that the microbial metabolism and iron reduction both remain active in the well-developed Fe(III)-reducing zone where the strain Nan-1 was obtained.To our knowledge,Enterobacter sp.Nan-1 could serve as a new applicative Fe(III)-reducing bacterium for future investigation on the iron biogeochemical cycle and diagenetic process of organic matter in the deep-sea environment.

Experimental investigation of the inhibition of deep-sea mining sediment plumes by polyaluminum chloride

Deep-sea sediment disturbance may occur when collecting polymetallic nodules,resulting in the creation of plumes that could have a negative impact on the ecological environment.This study aims to investigate the potential solution of using polyaluminum chloride(PAC)in the water jet.The effects of PAC are examined through a self-designed simulation system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule collection and sediment samples from a potential deep-sea mining area.The experimental results showed that the optimal PAC dose was found to be 0.75 g/L.Compared with the test conditions without the addition of PAC,the presence of PAC leads to a reduction in volume,lower characteristic turbidity,smaller diffusion velocity,and shorter settling time of the plume.This indicates that PAC inhibits the entire development process of the plume.The addition of PAC leads to the flocculation of mm-sized particles,resulting in the formation of cm-sized flocs.The flocculation of particles decreases the rate of erosion on the seabed by around 30%.This reduction in erosion helps to decrease the formation of plumes.Additionally,when the size of suspended particles increases,it reduces the scale at which they diffuse.Furthermore,the settling velocity of flocs(around 10^(-2) m/s)is much higher that of compared to sediment particles(around 10^(-5) m/s),which effectively reduces the amount of time the plume remains in suspension.

Integrated biomarker response to assess toxic impacts of iron and manganese on deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons under a deep-sea mining activity scenario

Deep-sea mining activities can potentially release metals,which pose a toxicological threat to deep-sea ecosystems.Nevertheless,due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the deep-sea biosphere,there is insufficient knowledge about the impact of metal exposure on its inhabitants.In this study,deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons,a commonly used deep-sea toxicology model organism,was exposed to manganese(100,1000μg/L)or iron(500,5000μg/L)for 7 d,respectively.Manganese and iron were chosen for their high levels of occurrence within deep-sea deposits.Metal accumulation and a battery of biochemical biomarkers related to antioxidative stress in superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),malondialdehyde(MDA);immune function in alkaline phosphatase(AKP),acid phosphatase(ACP);and energy metabolism in pyruvate kinase(PK)and hexokinase(HK)were assessed in mussel gills.Results showed that deep-sea mussel G.platifrons exhibited a high capacity to accumulate Mn/Fe.In addition,most tested biochemical parameters were altered by metal exposure,demonstrating that metals could induce oxidative stress,suppress the immune system,and affect energy metabolism of deep-sea mussels.The integrated biomarker response(IBR)approach indicated that the exposure to Mn/Fe had a negative impact on deep-sea mussels,and Mn demonstrated a more harmful impact on deep-sea mussels than Fe.Additionally,SOD and CAT biomarkers had the greatest impact on IBR values in Mn treatments,while ACP and HK were most influential for the low-and high-dose Fe groups,respectively.This study represents the first application of the IBR approach to evaluate the toxicity of metals on deep-sea fauna and serves as a crucial framework for risk assessment of deep-sea mining-associated metal exposure.

Predicting impact forces on pipelines from deep-sea fluidized slides:A comprehensive review of key factors

Deep-sea pipelines play a pivotal role in seabed mineral resource development,global energy and resource supply provision,network communication,and environmental protection.However,the placement of these pipelines on the seabed surface exposes them to potential risks arising from the complex deep-sea hydrodynamic and geological environment,particularly submarine slides.Historical incidents have highlighted the substantial damage to pipelines due to slides.Specifically,deep-sea fluidized slides(in a debris/mud flow or turbidity current physical state),characterized by high speed,pose a significant threat.Accurately assessing the impact forces exerted on pipelines by fluidized submarine slides is crucial for ensuring pipeline safety.This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in understanding pipeline impact forces caused by fluidized deep-sea slides,thereby identifying key factors and corresponding mechanisms that influence pipeline impact forces.These factors include the velocity,density,and shear behavior of deep-sea fluidized slides,as well as the geometry,stiffness,self-weight,and mechanical model of pipelines.Additionally,the interface contact conditions and spatial relations were examined within the context of deep-sea slides and their interactions with pipelines.Building upon a thorough review of these achievements,future directions were proposed for assessing and characterizing the key factors affecting slide impact loading on pipelines.A comprehensive understanding of these results is essential for the sustainable development of deep-sea pipeline projects associated with seabed resource development and the implementation of disaster prevention measures.

Deep-Sea Geohazards in the South China Sea

Various geological processes and features that might inflict hazards identified in the South China Sea by using new technologies and methods.These features include submarine landslides,pockmark fields,shallow free gas,gas hydrates,mud diapirs and earthquake tsunami,which are widely distributed in the continental slope and reefal islands of the South China Sea.Although the study and assessment of geohazards in the South China Sea came into operation only recently,advances in various aspects are evolving at full speed to comply with National Marine Strategy and‘the Belt and Road’Policy.The characteristics of geohazards in deep-water seafloor of the South China Sea are summarized based on new scientific advances.This progress is aimed to aid ongoing deep-water drilling activities and decrease geological risks in ocean development.

Experimental research on grouser traction of deep-sea mining machine

The traction characteristics of the grouser, cutting the simulative soil of deepsea sediment, with different tooth widths, tooth heights, and ground pressures are studied with traction characteristic test apparatus. A traction-displacement model is obtained by combining the analysis of the cutting mechanism. The results show that the tractiondisplacement curves of grousers with different tooth widths, tooth heights, and ground pressures have the same changing trend, which matches the Wong traction model. Their sensitivity coefficient and shear modulus are slightly fluctuated. Therefore, the average values can be used as the traction model parameters. The maximum traction of the grouser with a two-side edge and a 10 mm tooth width increment changing with the tooth height and ground pressure can be determined according to the grousers with different tooth widths. By combining the traction model parameters, the traction-displacement curve of the grouser with a certain group values of tooth width, tooth height, and ground pressure can be predicted. Therefore, the slip of the mining machine can be prevented to improve the mining efficiency.

Research on Pressure Tight Sampling Technique of Deep-Sea Shallow Sediment—A New Approach to Gas Hydrate Investigation

Analyzed and calculated are pressure changes and body deformation of the sample inside of the corer in the process of sampling of deep-sea shallow sediment with a non-piston corer for gas hydrate investigation, Two conclusions are drawn： （1） the stress increments associated with the corer through the sampling process do not affect the stabilization of the gas hydrate; （2） the body deformation of the sample is serious and the ＂incremental filling ratio＂ （IFR） is less than unit, For taking samples with in-situ pressure and structure, combining with the design theories of the pressure tight corer, we have designed a kind of piston corer, named the gas hydrate pressure tight piston corer, Several tests on the sea have been conducted. Test results indicate that the piston corer has a good ability of taking sediment samples on the seafloor and maintaining their original in-situ pressure, meeting the requirement of exploration of gas hydrate in deep-sea shallow sediment layers.

Instability Assessment of Deep-Sea Risers Under Parametric Excitation

This study deals with the nonlinear dynamic response of deep-sea risers subjected to parametric excitation at the top of a platform. As offshore oil and gas exploration is pushed into deep waters, difficulties encountered in deep-sea riser design may be attributed to the existence of parametric instability regarding platform heave motions. Parametric resonance in risers can cause serious damage which might bring disastrous accidents such as environment pollution, property losses and even fatalities. Therefore, the paranletric instability analysis should attract more attention during the design process of deep-sea risers. In this work, an equation of motion for a deep-sea riser is derived firstly. The motion equation is analyzed by the Floquet theory which allows the determination of both system response and stability properties. The unstable regions in which parametric resonance easily occurs can be determined. The effects of damping on parametric instability are also investigated, and the stability maps are presented. The results demonstrate that the available damping is vital in suppressing the instability regions. The suggestions for reduction of instability regions are proposed in deep-sea riser design.

Design and research on a variable ballast system for deep-sea manned submersibles

Variable ballast systems are necessary for manned submersibles to adjust their buoyancy.In this paper,the design of a variable ballast system for a manned submersible is described.The variable ballast system uses a super high pressure hydraulic seawater system.A super high pressure seawater pump and a deep-sea brushless DC motor are used to pump seawater into or from the variable ballast tank,increasing or decreasing the weight of the manned submersible.A magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer can detect the seawater level in the variable ballast tank.Some seawater valves are used to control pumping direction and control on-off states.The design and testing procedure for the valves is described.Finally,the future development of variable ballast systems and seawater hydraulic systems is projected.

Chemical profile of the secondary metabolites produced by a deep-sea sediment-derived fungus Penicillium commune SD-118

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract from Penicillium commune SD-118, a fungus obtained from a deep-sea sediment sample, resulted in the isolation of a known antibacterial compound, xanthocillin X (1), and 14 other known compounds comprising three steroids (2-4), two ceramides (5 and 6), six aromatic compounds (7-12), and three alkaloids (13-15). Xanthocillin X (1) was isolated for the first time from a marine fungus. In the bioassay, xanthocillin X (1) displayed remarkable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HepG2, H460, Hela, Du145, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Meleagrin (15) exhibited cytotoxicity against HepG2, Hela, Du145, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. This is the first report of the cytotoxicity of xanthocillin X (1).

Path Following Control of A Deep-Sea Manned Submersible Based upon NTSM

In this paper, a robust path following control law is proposed for a deep-sea manned submersible maneuvering along a predeterminated path. Developed in China, the submersible is underactuated in the horizontal plane in that it is actuated by two perpendicular thrusts in this plane. The advanced non-singular terminal sliding mode （NTSM） is implemented for the design of the path following controller, which can ensure the convergence of the motion system in finite time and improve its robustness against parametric uncertainties and environmental disturbances. In the process of controller design, the close-loop stability is considered and proved by Lyapunov＇ s stability theory. With the experimental data, numerical simulations are provided to verify the control law for path following of the deep-sea manned submersible.

Deep-sea rock mechanics and mining technology:State of the art and perspectives

The review covers the development and the state of the art in deep-sea mining rock mechanics,equipment and challenges.It begins by introducing the significance of deep-sea mining,the types and geographical distribution of deep-sea resources.Section 2 reviews the mechanical properties and fracture mechanism of seabed and related continental rocks,which contributes to the advancement of relevant technologies and theories.Deep-sea mining systems developed by coastal countries are presented in Section 3.Seabed mineral collection systems are critically assessed in Section 4.Subsea mining vehicle is reviewed by walking mechanism and controlling system in Section 5.In Section 6,the development of subsea lifting system is detailed by dividing it into hydraulic and pneumatic lifting modes,and some technical problems in the lifting system are described.An in-depth description of surface support systems is presented in Section 7,which includes the deep-sea mining ship,dynamic positioning system,heave compensation system,launch and retrieval system,mineral disposing system as well as the storage and transferring systems.Section 8 discusses the challenges in the deep-sea mining,in terms of natural occurrence conditions,international legal framework and cooperative mining,environmental protection and economic benefits,etc.Finally,a brief summary and some aspects of prospective research are presented in Section 9.

The pressure compensation technology of deep-sea sampling based on the real gas state equation

Compressed gas is usually used for the pressure compensation of the deep-sea pressure-maintaining sampler.The pressure and volume of the recovered fluid sample are highly related to the precharged gas. To better understand the behavior of the gas under high pressure, we present a new real gas state equation based on the compression factor Z which was derived from experimental data. Then theoretical calculation method of the pressure and volume of the sample was introduced based on this empirical gas state equation. Finally, the proposed calculation method was well verified by the high-pressure vessel experiment of the sampler under 115 MPa.

Multielement Analysis of Deep-Sea Sediments by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Marine sediments were dissolved by HNO3-HF-HC104 in a sealed container at low pressure; HF was evaporated in an open container and salts were dissolved in HCl by heating, then transferred to 2% HNO3 solution. A total of 45 elements, including Li, Be, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cd, In, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sin, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U, were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）. Conditions and sample experiments showed that this procedure defines a good experimental method which has the advantages of clear interference, easy operation and reliable results. The concentrations of the 45 elements could be used for resource exploration, environmental assessment and academic research.

Turning traction force of tracked mining vehicle based on rheological property of deep-sea sediment

Based on main physical and mechanical properties of deep-sea sediment from C-C poly-metallic nodule mining area in the Pacific Ocean, the best sediment simulant was successfully prepared by mixing bentonite with a certain content of water. Compression-shear coupling rheological constitutive model of the sediment simulant was established by endochronic theory and the coupling rheological parameters were obtained by compressive and compression-shear creep tests. A new calculation formula of turning traction force of the tracked mining vehicle was first derived based on the coupling rheological model and consideration of pushing resistance and sinkage of the tracked mining vehicle. Effects of the turning velocity, crawler spacing and contacting length of crawler with deep-sea sediment on the turning traction force were analyzed. Research results can provide theoretical foundation for operation safety and optimal design of the tracked mining vehicle.