Alvin

At 50, Alvin Gets an Extreme Makeover

June 11, 2014

The deep-sea research submersible Alvin returned to service in March 2014 after undergoing an historic overhaul that significantly enhanced its capabilities.

Bringing Alvin Back on Board

June 9, 2014

Crew members of the research vessel Atlantis play crucial roles in recovering the submersible after its day on the bottom of the ocean.

Iconic Research Submersible Alvin Turns 50

June 5, 2014

We know more about the surface of other planets than we do about Earth’s ocean. And what is known about…

More than 100 people at WHOI played roles in redesigning and reconstructing the new Alvin. Don Peters, senior engineer, headed the team that reconfigured the sub to accommodate a larger sphere and added weight.

Rebuilding Alvin: Logan Driscoll

May 23, 2014

The new Alvin has a new, slightly larger personnel sphere. Still, getting all the necessary equipment to fit inside the sphere took a Herculean effort.

Rebuilding Alvin: Durante & Skowronski

The new Alvin has a new, slightly larger personnel sphere. Still, getting all the necessary equipment to fit inside the sphere took a Herculean effort.

Rebuilding Alvin: Bruce Strickrott

May 16, 2014

Now that the newly upgraded Alvin has resumed operations, a pilot and scientist describe how some of the new features of the submersible are changing the way they are using the vehicle.

Rebuilding Alvin: Humphris & Strickrott

Now that the newly upgraded Alvin has resumed operations, a pilot and scientist describe how some of the new features of the submersible are changing the way they are using the vehicle.

Rebuilding Alvin: Anthony Tarantino

May 9, 2014

Anthony Tarantino, assistant project manager for the upgrade, explains the electrical systems in the new Alvin.

Rebuilding Alvin: Rod Catanach

Engineer Rod Catanach describes the fabrication, testing, and installation of the syntactic foam that provides buoyancy for Alvin.

Ready, Set, Dive

May 1, 2014

Before scientists go to work in the morning at the bottom of the ocean in the submersible Alvin, a team of engineers, pilots, and ship’s crew performs a carefully orchestrated choreography.

Rebuilding Alvin: Jonathan Howland

April 9, 2014

The 25th installment in our series on the people at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who helped design and build the new and improved version of the submersible Alvin.

Rebuilding Alvin: Phil Forte

April 2, 2014

A new installment in our series on the team of people at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who helped design and build the new and improved version of the submersible Alvin.

Li’l Alvin

February 27, 2014

Tom Ryder is a professional underwater diver and a radio-controlled model builder. That combination, naturally, led to a fully operational miniature version of the deep-sea sub Alvin.

Deep-Diving Sub Alvin Cleared to Return to Service

January 24, 2014

After a three-year overhaul and major upgrade, the United States’ deepest-diving research submersible, Alvin, has been cleared to return to work exploring the ocean’s depths.