The Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) of NARLabs is a federally funded research and development agency devoted to research and education in oceanology and related sciences. TORI's mission is to enhance and extend the capabilities of the institutions in community, both nationally and internationally, by fostering research vessels and facilitating major oceanographic equipments ( ROV, LOMCS, OBS, CODAR, ), databank and post-processing productions.
Progress of the R&D on ocean exploration and measurement instruments
Ocean bottom seismometers, ocean bottom electro-magnetometer, mini-ROV, and TowCam
The vast ocean features a wealth of biological organisms and mineral resources. In order to explore the oceans, specific marine scientific instruments have been developed: deep sea cameras for viewing the dark and deep ocean realm; remotely operated vehicles for exploring unknown waters; and ocean bottom seismometers and ocean bottom electro-magnetometer may locate alternative natural resources buried deep under the seafloor. These advancements can help the general public to better understand the oceans.
Establishment of a Large-offset Multi-channel Seismic System
Moving toward a new milestone for marine geophysical exploration in Taiwan
The Large-offset Multi-channel Seismic System TORI has been tested during sea trial. Coupled with seismic source arrays (i.e. parallel air gun clusters) and dynamic positioning, this system is able to accurately "diagnose" the geological formations and structures. To ensure our national environmental safety the system will be utilized continuously to obtain thorough knowledge on the natural resources under the seafloor around Taiwan, as well as on the mechanisms of catastrophic earthquakes that occur in the same area.
Maintenance and operation of remotely operated vehicle ( ROV )
Conquering the shallow waters of the “Mini Ryukyu Islands"
After months of system-wide inspections and maintenance, the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) team practiced at the shallow waters of the Mini Ryukyu Islands. The training exercises included underwater vehicle flying tasks, underwater sonar navigation, manipulator practicing and sample collections; all of the drills were recorded. The next objective is to challenge the deeper waters, in order to meet future mission demands as early as possible.
(left) Pilot and co-pilot performing onsite training inside the ROV control room. (right) Interactions between the ROV manipulators and the scientific collecting platform (elevator) located on the sea floor.Ocean Sediments
Episode I of core hunting
Marine sediment coring system can serve as a time capsule capable of revealing layers of marine sediments that have accumulated since the ancient period. Through the collaborations between academic and research communities, an ocean core and sediment database was established for the seas bordering Taiwan. Such efforts enable the effective use for research results and national resources, and provides crucial referential information for future core site selection.
