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Marine Workhorse

June 21, 2012

The crew aboard the research vessel Atlantis launched the autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry during a September 2009 cruise to study natural oil and methane seeps about one mile off the California coast.
 Sentry can be programmed for missions by researchers to explore the ocean down to 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) depth. It is also a multi-tasking workhorse, capable of making maps, taking photos, and carrying a variety of instruments and probes to help scientists sample, explore, and understand the ocean.(Photo by Chris Reddy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)