With the deep-sea research vessel "Deep Sea One" and the manned submersible "Jiaolong" docked at the Tsim Sha Tsui Marine Terminal in Victoria Bay, Hong Kong, China, the 2024 Western Pacific International Expedition has concluded its 45 day maritime survey. The 2024 Western Pacific International Voyage Scientific Expedition is organized and implemented by the National Deep Sea Base Management Center under the coordination of the China Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources. It is the first joint scientific expedition conducted in the open sea area under the "Digital Deep Sea Typical Habitat" major scientific plan, and also the first time that foreign scientists have carried out deep-sea scientific expeditions aboard the Jiaolong. As China's first independently designed and integrated 7000 meter deep manned submersible, the Jiaolong has completed over 300 dives since its first dive in 2009, carrying more than 900 people and providing strong support for global deep-sea exploration. This voyage has completed a total of 18 manned deep-sea diving missions for the Jiaolong spacecraft, with a maximum depth of 5600 meters. It further reveals that the seamounts in the western Pacific are hotspots of biodiversity, providing valuable sample resources and key data for deep-sea scientific research. Diving Together - "The ocean seems to welcome us to a new world," "I remember the sound of the Jiaolong sinking into the water. At that moment, the ocean seemed to welcome us to a new world," Judith Posadas, a doctoral student from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, wrote in her scientific journal. On August 20th last year, Posadas boarded the "Jiaolong" ship for the first time on the starboard side and completed the 302 voyage mission together with Chinese divers Zhang Yi and Qi Haibin. At around 6 o'clock on the ship (around 4 o'clock Beijing time), the distant sky was still tinged with bluish gray, and the mother ship "Deep Sea One" was already a busy scene. The weather in the work area is clear, and the underwater personnel and technical support team are performing their respective duties. After a series of preparations are completed, the hatch of the Jiaolong spacecraft is closed, and the deep-sea journey is about to begin. At 7:00 am, the "Jiaolong" was pushed out from the aft deck of the "Deep Sea One" ship and was towed by a winch to the surface of the sea. After injecting water, the "Jiaolong" submersible dived into the deep sea at a speed of 35 meters per minute. The pilot Zhang Yi is currently the only female diver in China who has diving experience in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean. She has driven the "Jiaolong" submersible more than 50 times and has rich experience in deep-sea diving operations. When reviewing this voyage, Zhang Yi said, "Most of the foreign scientists involved were diving to the seabed for the first time on a submersible. Before diving, we had sufficient communication about the arrangement of the voyage and the focus of the operation." They arrived at a sea area of over 2000 meters. The deep sea is peaceful and pitch black. The "Jiaolong" spacecraft emits a beam of light, illuminating the seabed ahead. Along the direction of the light, white particles of organic debris, known as "ocean snow," occasionally streak across. Through the "eyes" of the "Jiaolong", fascinating creatures from the deep sea quietly emerge between the ridges of the seamounts. Colorful sea anemones, cold water corals, and sponges float lightly in the water, while starfish, sea cucumbers, and sea lilies appear and disappear, like a mysterious "deep sea garden" painting. Inside the cabin, Zhang Yi skillfully operated the robotic arm to grab deep-sea organisms and water samples, and used a tube to obtain seabed sediments. Beside her, Posadas was carefully observing the situation outside the cabin. During the diving process, she would promptly remind me to pay attention to some mountain protrusions on the starboard side of the submersible to prevent collisions, "Zhang Yi said. After more than 6 hours, the deep blue sea stirred up white waves, and the Jiaolong returned to the surface of the sea. I can't believe how time flies so quickly! "Posadas sighed, feeling that the scene he saw on the" Dragon "was like an" indescribable dream ". When it comes to diving experience, Singaporean marine scientist Cai Jiahui cannot hide her excitement. She comes from the National University of Singapore and is engaged in ecological research on large benthic organisms in polymetallic nodule mining areas. The Chinese submarine crew is responsible for sampling, and we are recording observations and suggesting sampling targets on the side. This joint scientific expedition reflects that science knows no borders, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to see the ecosystem of the seabed with my own eyes and gain a more intuitive understanding of the marine environment. The cooperation with Chinese scientists is very tacit, and we have different professional backgrounds in various fields, which can complement each other's knowledge and make the sampling work more efficient, "said Erica Grace, a doctoral student at James Cook University in Australia who participated in this expedition. It is reported that the scientific research team conducted routine surveys of marine environment and biodiversity at more than 30 survey stations, collecting samples of deep-sea organisms, seawater, sediments, etc., and completed over 1000 kilometers of multi beam survey lines, strengthening the understanding of the seabed topography and water depth in the survey area. Sharing sample data - 'Interdisciplinary communication drives mutual research progress'. Returning to the mother ship' Deep Sea One ', cooperation between Chinese and foreign scientists is still ongoing. The "Jiaolong" spacecraft brought back high-definition videos captured by 4K cameras, and in the submarine monitoring center of the mother ship, scientists waited here early to analyze the footage taken by the "Jiaolong" spacecraft from the deep sea through large screens. On the other hand, a series of samples brought back by the siphon sampler, biological net bag, and microbial in-situ enrichment device on board the Jiaolong were loaded into sample boxes and transferred to the biological and geological laboratories on board. In the laboratory, Chinese and foreign scientists preliminarily classify, number, photograph, and properly store samples for subsequent research. A dedicated shared computer has been set up on board the Deep Sea One vessel. After each session, Chinese and foreign scientists will upload representative videos of the session to a shared computer. In addition, important data such as ocean hydrology and environment collected, as well as important information such as sampling lists and photos, will be shared synchronously for all researchers to study and use. This close collaboration model not only improves work efficiency, but also promotes communication between Chinese and foreign researchers. After sharing data, Chinese and foreign scientists will conduct in-depth analysis and interpretation of sample data based on their research fields and expertise, "said Zhang Shan, a biologist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Experts from the field of marine biology pay attention to the morphology and ecological characteristics of biological samples; Experts from the field of geology pay attention to the geological background and genesis of the samples; Experts from the field of ecology will focus on the interaction between organisms and the environment. This interdisciplinary exchange has driven mutual research progress and promoted the in-depth development of deep-sea biodiversity and environmental protection research. This voyage has obtained abundant deep-sea biological samples. After investigation, the scientific research team found that along the Magellan Seamount Chain, the biomass shows a phenomenon of high in the north and low in the south. The main types of organisms include sponges, corals, echinoderms, etc. The water depth, bottom currents, and micro topography significantly affect the distribution of benthic organisms. The scientific expedition team obtained over 100 pieces of coral and sponge, over 200 pieces of echinoderms, and over 100 pieces of other animal groups such as fish and shrimp. Wu Changbin, Director of the China Ocean Affairs Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources, stated that the successful implementation of this voyage not only enhances China's scientific understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystems, but also contributes important scientific data to global marine scientific research. Protecting the Deep Sea Ecology Together - "Making the Ocean Better", "Are Treasures Hidden in the Mud of the Sea?", "Why Don't Underwater Volcanoes Be Extinguished by Sea Water When Erupting in the Sea?", "How Does the Jiaolong Ship Work on the Underwater?" On September 5th last year, the "Deep Sea One" ship, which was on a mission, made a video connection with several primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and Qingdao, Shandong. Classmates are curious about the deep sea and ocean, and they ask questions one after another. Chinese and foreign scientists and divers introduced marine organisms such as sponges, starfish, and corals to their classmates in the "cloud", and shared their work on the "Jiaolong" spacecraft. Although the voyage has ended, science popularization never stops. Wu Changbin expressed his hope to increase people's understanding of deep-sea exploration, stimulate young people's interest in marine science, and sow seeds of hope for future marine science education and scientific research through a series of deep-sea science popularization activities. Friendship continues to spread. It is an honor to be one of the first foreign scientists to explore the deep sea aboard the Jiaolong spacecraft. Scientists from different countries are working together to make the ocean a better place, "said Posadas. In a recent report, the International Seabed Authority affirmed China's role in promoting global deep-sea research. Next, the Jiaolong spacecraft will conduct its second international cooperation voyage in the Indian Ocean and other areas to investigate the biodiversity and environment of deep-sea hydrothermal zones. This will help understand the structure and functional characteristics of deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems and provide scientific basis for the protection and sustainable utilization of deep-sea biodiversity. Scientists from different countries have their own strengths, and cooperation can inspire all parties and promote more scientific research in the future Professor Qiu Jianwen from the Department of Biology at Hong Kong Baptist University, who participated in this voyage, expressed his hope to promote marine ecological environment protection and build a community with a shared future for the ocean through Sino foreign scientific and technological cooperation. (New Society)