Taiwan Ocean Research Institute takes a front-line role in promoting marine science and technology.
Legend, Taiwan’s largest and most advanced research vessel, returned to Anping Port in the southern city of Tainan Oct. 8 last year, concluding a 29-day operation to investigate the lithosphere-asthenosphere system. The Pacific Array (PA) experiment deployed ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) and ocean bottom electro-magnetometers to the floor of the Western Pacific for yearlong seismic monitoring. At the same time, researchers on board utilized a multibeam echosounder to map the seabed at depths of up to 10,860 meters, setting a new record for the country’s deep-sea exploration as they passed over the Mariana Trench—the deepest section of ocean on Earth with a maximum known depth of nearly 11,000 meters. Weather balloons carrying radiosondes were released to collect information on atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature and wind speed. Data collected from such missions is fundamental to understanding plate tectonics and the evolution of our planet.
“Each expedition is full of exciting scientific discoveries combined with the thrill of facing down challenges like adverse weather and a tight schedule,” said Kuo Ban-yuan (郭本垣), leader of the PA team manning Legend. Kuo is a researcher specializing in geophysics at Taipei City-based Academia Sinica’s Institute of Earth Sciences. The PA project is a cooperative venture between Academia Sinica, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) in the southern metropolis of Kaohsiung and Japan’s University of Tokyo. It has brought together 15 atmospheric and earth scientists from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Scientists and technicians from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan take a group photo during their voyage to the Western Pacific. (Courtesy of Kuo Ban-yuan)
Inaugurated in 2018, the 2,629-metric ton research vessel used in the PA project is operated by TORI under the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) and is outfitted with high-performance devices including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with a maximum working depth of 3,000 meters to collect data and samples, a long-offset multichannel seismic system to gather tectonic information, data buoys to track atmospheric and oceanographic conditions and piston corers to extract sediment samples. The state-of-the-art vessel expands Taiwan’s ocean knowledge and informs government policymaking. “Legend is a powerful tool for scientists doing research on topics such as climate change, energy exploration and geological hazards,” said TORI Director General Wang Chau-chang (王兆璋). “It’s ushering in a new chapter of our marine scientific research.”
Ideally Situated
Established in 2008 as one of eight national research centers overseen by NARLabs under the Cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council, TORI provides facilities and equipment to enable critical R&D, particularly of marine technology. The institute conducts projects in partnership with Academia Sinica and the Central Geological Survey (CGS) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as educational institutions like National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) in Kaohsiung, National Taiwan University in Taipei and National Central University in the northern city of Taoyuan. It has also inked cooperation agreements with both Germany’s Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel and University of Bremen on gas hydrate research and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology on marine science and technology promotion.
Taiwan’s location on the edges of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates makes it the perfect place to undertake studies like the PA project. According to Kuo, the area is a natural lab to test plate tectonics theory and its associated crustal deformation and seismic phenomena thanks to its unusual geology. Understanding the specifics of mountain building events and crust changes that occur in collisional orogens and the resulting effect on faults is important for disaster risk reduction and management.
Indigenous production of oceanography instruments are part of cost effective research. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)
Given that Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone covers five times the area of its landmass, thorough ecological, geological and hydrological surveys of the country’s surrounding waters are essential. “We need to find out what’s happening in our ocean territories with regard to aquatic species and habitats, industrial pollution, and geohazards like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions,” Wang said. “Only then can we fully evaluate threats to public safety and formulate plans to conserve marine resources in line with our sustainable development goals.” As an ocean state, the country depends on the sea for food, energy, recreation, trade and transport routes, he added.
Self-Reliance
Among TORI’s R&D successes is a broadband OBS model with a maximum operation depth of 6,000 meters, which was developed in 2014 in partnership with Academia Sinica’s Institute of Earth Sciences and NSYSU’s Institute of Undersea Technology. The compact, lightweight and energy-efficient seismometers cost only a quarter as much as foreign equivalents.
“Indigenous manufacturing of oceanography instruments is of vital importance,” Wang said. “It better serves domestic researchers while opening up new opportunities for international cooperation.” So far the institute has collaborated with Japanese and South Korean counterparts to deploy Taiwan-made OBSs in their respective offshore areas and gather valuable information on underwater ambient noise for seismic event detection.
TORI has additionally established a high-frequency radar network around Taiwan that monitors surface currents. Such real-time data is invaluable for identifying appropriate sites to install wind turbines and improving the safety of offshore wind farms. “We’re in the process of developing oceanographic survey services for research and national development,” Wang said. “It’s our privilege to help accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, one of Taiwan’s six core strategic industries.” The institute assists with the surveying and mapping of national ocean territories to ensure effective use for conservation, fishing, energy development and tourism.
Legend Captain Huang Jiu-xing works closely with scientists to plan and execute research projects while overseeing operation of the ship. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)
Deep Discoveries
According to Chen Song-chuen (陳松春), chief of the Geological Resources Division at CGS, close cooperation with TORI on exploratory voyages, R&D projects and research finding exchanges has been pivotal to CGS missions. Advanced equipment provided by TORI enables Chen’s organization to carry out targeted surveys and collections in the deep ocean. Among the projects benefiting from the interagency collaboration was an investigation of gas hydrate distribution in waters off southwest Taiwan from 2004 to 2015 that revealed 12 possible deposit locations in the region.
The results encouraged scientists from Taiwan and France to embark on a joint voyage aboard the French research vessel Marion Dufresne in June 2018 to areas identified by CGS, and core samples collected about 35 miles offshore of Kaohsiung were confirmed to contain gas hydrates. Also known as “flammable ice,” gas hydrates are found in deep ocean sediment and permafrost regions and are an untapped low-carbon fossil fuel considered by many to be the future of energy. “Hydrate reservoirs are a potential natural gas source and a much cleaner alternative to crude oil or coal,” Chen said. “We’re thrilled to discover that Taiwan is endowed with this promising energy resource.”
Another major project launched by CGS is an ongoing mineral assessment along Taiwan’s northeast coast. Since 2016 the research team has conducted several expeditions aboard the Legend, pinpointing six areas of interest for further exploration. Efforts to locate “black smokers”—pipe deposits formed on volcanically active ocean floor by superheated water ejected from below the crust—in waters off the northeastern county of Yilan and the Okinawa Trough proved successful, with analyses of hot spring and igneous rock samples showing rich gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc deposits.
By supporting such projects, TORI is leading the way toward sustainable, research-based management of sea resources. “Marine science can help us understand changes taking place in the ocean system and design mitigation and adaptation strategies while harnessing the economic, environmental and social benefits,” Wang said. “We’ll continue coordinating interdisciplinary research at all levels to cultivate the knowledge necessary for achieving healthy, safe and resilient oceans.”
Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw