RV Sarmiento de Gamboa
 RV Sarmiento de Gamboa in Vigo, 2012
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Spain | |
| Name | RV Sarmiento de Gamboa |
| Namesake | Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa |
| Operator | Spanish National Research Council |
| Port of registry | Spain |
| Ordered | 2004 |
| Builder | Construcciones Navales P. Freire |
| Completed | 2006 |
| Homeport | Vigo |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Active as of 2025 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | research vessel |
| Displacement | 1979 t |
| Length | 70.5 m |
| Beam | 15.5 m |
| Draught | 4.60 m |
| Installed power | 1800 KW / 690 volt / Three phase |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15 knots |
| Endurance | 40 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
|
| Capacity | 26 scientists and technicians |
| Crew | 16 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Notes | Clasification:HULL SPECIAL SERVICE OCEANOGRAPHIC AND FISHING RESEARCH UNRESTRICTED NAVIGATION + MACH + AUT-UMS, AUT-CCS, ALM SDS COMF-1, SYS-NEQ 1 DYNAPOS AM/AT |
RV Sarmiento de Gamboa is an oceanographic research vessel operated by the Spanish National Research Council. It is used globally to study eg. ocean circulation, marine biodiversity, fishery resources, and climate change.[1]
Background
[edit]Its construction was authorized by the Spanish Government in 2004, and it was launched in 2006 in the presence of Queen Sofia.[2] It was built by Construcciones Navales P. Freire in Vigo (Pontevedra, Spain). Funding is provided by the Galician Regional Government, the Ministry of Education, and CSIC. It has an overall length of 70.5 meters, a beam of 15.5 meters, and is propelled by diesel and electric engines.[3] It is named after Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, Spanish explorer from the 16th century.
Missions and discoveries
[edit]- Plankton samples collected by the ship in 2009 in NW Mediterranean allowed researchers to describe a unique life cycle of the smallest marine diatom, Mediolabrus comicus.[4]
- In 2010, the vessel participated in the Malaspina Expedition together with BIO Hespérides.
- In February 2020, researchers aboard the ship found very dense and diverse benthic communities in the Blanes Canyon.[5]
- In 2024, researchers aboard the ship discovered an underwater mountain range named "Los Atlantes" consists of three volcanoes north of the Canary Islands.[6]
- In February 2025, researchers aboard the ship have observed massive columns of methane emerging from the Antarctic seabed.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa | Unidad de Tecnología Marina". www.utm.csic.es. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
- ^ "InicioActividades y Agenda - Botadura del buque oceanográfico de investigación "Sarmiento de Gamboa"". www.casareal.es. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ "Characteristics R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa | Unidad de Tecnología Marina". www.utm.csic.es. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
- ^ Jewson, David; Kuwata, Akira; Cros, Lluïsa; Fortuño, José Manuel; Estrada, Marta (2016-09-30). "Morphological adaptations to small size in the marine diatom Minidiscus comicus". Scientia Marina. 80 (S1): 89–96. doi:10.3989/scimar.04331.06C. hdl:10261/138162. ISSN 1886-8134.
- ^ "Exploring exceptional deep corals in the Blanes Canyon, first results of ABRIC campaign | Institut de Ciències del Mar". www.icm.csic.es. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ "New underwater mountain range discovered north of the Canary Islands". Canarian Weekly. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ Ansede, Manuel (2025-02-12). "Massive methane leaks detected in Antarctica, posing potential risks for global warming". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2025-04-30.