Development of deep-sea plankton and marine snow sampler

为有效采集深海远洋生物和海洋雪，研制了一种多容器吸式采样器。该取样器由可移动的进样器、旋转的多个样品容器、吸入泵和控制器组成。从进气口吸入目标样本，并通过软管将其输送到六个容器中的一个。进气口固定在潜水器的机械手上，能够对目标样品的移动做出反应。1997年，在基本方案的基础上建立了整个取样器，并对其进行了移动和耐压测试，没有出现任何严重故障。1998年，在Sagami Bay的Shinkai 2000潜水器下潜期间，现场测试了采样器，捕获了三个水母，但一些快速游泳的目标失败。在此基础上，将浸油马达改为三个相互连接的马达以增加功率，并对软管进行了部分改进，以便与圆柱形闸阀采样器一起用于更大、更脆弱的动物。改进后，采样器在新海2000下潜期间再次进行了现场测试。最后，我们在较好的条件下，在500-1000米的海底，在短时间内(3分钟)成功地采集了10-20只活的鱿鱼、蛇类和甲壳类动物的标本。还使用闸阀采样器采集了非常脆弱的胶状浮游生物和甲壳类动物。

A suction sampler with multiple containers was developed for an effective collection of deep-sea pelagic organisms and marine snow. This sampler consists of a movable intake of specimens, rotating multiple sample containers, a suction pump, and a controller. A target specimen is sucked from the intake, and transported through a hose into one of the six containers. The intake is fixed on to the manipulator of a submersible, being able to respond to the movement of target specimens. In 1997 the whole sampler was set up on the basis of the basic plan, tested for movement and pressure resistance, without any serious malfunction. In 1998 the sampler was tested in situ, during dives of the submersible Shinkai 2000 in Sagami Bay, resulting in capture of three medusae but failure of some fast-swimming targets. On the basis of this result, the oil-dipped motor was changed into three interconnected ones to increase power, and the hose was partly improved for use with a cylindrical, gate-valve sampler for larger, more fragile animals. After this improvement the sampler was tested again in situ during a dive of Shinkai 2000. Finally, we successfully collected 10-20 live specimens of squids, cnidarians and crustaceans in fairly good conditions in the depths of 500-1000 m in short times(<3 min). Very fragile gelatinous plankton and crustaceans were also collected by a combined use with a gate-valve sampler.