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The Dynamic Duo

The manned submersible Alvin (left) made headlines during its recent Dive and Discover mission in the Gulf of Mexico, but the autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry (right) is what had the scientific community buzzing. Sentry provided scientists with thousands of detailed images and maps that helped guide Alvin pilots to the best dive sites. Renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle, aboard R/V Atlantis to witness Alvin‘s final dive before its upgrade, said of the partnership: “The complementary capabilities of the manned and unmanned systems came into clear focus—not either/or, but each doing what each does best for results that neither could accomplish alone.”(Photo by Ken Kostel, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)