During the UW-OOI-NSF VISIONS'13 Expedition, the remotely operated vehicle ROPOS installed three medium power J-Boxes (secondary nodes) utilizing their special 4,000 lb heavy lift capabilities. ROPOS took this RSN J-Box down on dive R1601. The broad feet on the J-Box are used for installation in heavily sedimented areas. This was an unusually calm day at sea in the NE Pacific.
Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington.
Deployed at the base of Axial Seamount, this secondary node was used as an anchor during the deployment of 600 m of extension cable and during testing while ROPOS dowloaded data from a pressure sensor and current meter. (credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF)
Applied Physics Lab engineers Geoff Cram and Skip Denny (left to right) prepare the secondary node for deployment at primary node 1A. (photo: Allison Fundis)
Secondary nodes will connect to the primary nodes and transfer power and bandwidth to sensor networks. They are scheduled for deployment in 2013 using an ROV.
–Graphic credit: OOI RSN and Center for Environmental Visualization, University of Washington
Model of a Secondary Node. Drawn by Mike Welch, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington
The UW-Applied Physics Laboratory's secondary node test frame after it was recovered from being deployed at Hydrate since last summer. (photo by Allison Fundis)
