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ANGUS, Woods Hole’s deep-towed camera system, is deployed during the Galápagos Rift Expedition. (Courtesy of WHOI Archives) |
Sleepy, Dopey, Bashful and ANGUS
R/V Knorr arrived in the general area of the target site on Feb. 12. It lowered three transponders to the seafloor in a triangular pattern. The three sound beacons would help track the positions of Alvin and ANGUS as they explored the seafloor. The scientists named the three transponders Sleepy, Dopey, and Bashful.
On Feb. 15, ANGUS (Acoustically Navigated Geophysical Underwater System) was lowered to the depths to scout the area. Built at Woods Hole for Project FAMOUS, ANGUS was a 2-ton steel cage. It was equipped with cameras and powerful strobe lights. It had a sensor that could detect water temperatures changes as small as 0.005°C. And it had acoustic transmitters that “talked” to the transponders so that the equipment could be navigated in the dark depths.
ANGUS was towed behind R/V Knorr on a steel cable that stretched to the ocean bottom. It was towed 4.5 meters (15 feet) above the seafloor. Unlike the more delicate Deep-Tow, ANGUS was designed to survive occasional collisions with rugged terrain. Painted on ANGUS’s side was the motto: “Takes a Lickin’ But Keeps on Clickin.”
As R/V Knorr fought a 1 1/2-knot current to stay over the target site, ANGUS cruised 2,500 meters (8,250 feet) below, taking a photograph every 10 seconds.
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