Development of optical inspection technology for deep-sea floor using fluorescent observation method

We developed a pressure tight ultra violet (UV) light-emitting diode (LED) light for deep-sea floor optical imaging. It was confirmed by deep-sea in situ observation that many deep-sea organisms show fluorescent properties, and the fluorescent colors are unique for each deep-sea species. Additionally, we developed a pressure tight violet-laser-induced spectrometer for deep-sea remote inspection. It was confirmed by laboratory experiments that laser-induced fluorescence from oil in water shows characteristic fluorescent spectrum for each oil type. Fluorescent observation systems are expected to be useful tools for deep-sea floor inspection by mounting them on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).