In graphics: Aurora Borealis polar ship (pretty cool!)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/7214857.stm
In graphics: Aurora Borealis polar ship

European ship designers are currently working on what is billed as the "most
advanced polar research vessel in the world."
Aurora Borealis, as it is called, is set for launch in 2014 and promises to
shed light on a host of polar mysteries. Explore more about the ship's
distinctive features using the links below.




OVERVIEW

TIME LINE
Proposed: 2002
Design: 2007-2011
Construction: 2012-2014
Launch: 2014
Lifetime: 40 years


Aurora Borealis, is the brainchild of the European Science Federation and
researchers at the Alfred Wegener Institute.

"It's a unique ship," said Dr Paul Egerton, Executive Director, European
Polar Board.

"It will look at the deep hydrothermal vents, the deep ocean ridges where
there is volcanic activity, deep sediments, biological processes in the
shallow waters as well as current observations of weather conditions and
climate."

It will be the world's first ice-breaker that is also a drilling ship and
will operate year-round, although it will only drill in the summer months.

Initially it will be used in the Arctic but it is envisaged it will also be
used for Antarctic expeditions.

It is currently one of 35 large-scale research infrastructure projects being
funded by the European Union.

Norway and Russia have both signalled their interest in helping to build and
operate the vessel.

The final design is currently being drawn up by marine architects in Germany
and Finland.



ICE BREAKING

Unlike most ice-breakers Aurora Borealis will be able to break ice
laterally, as well as by advancing forwards and backwards.
This is important to allow the vessel to hold its position in ice-covered
waters.

To accomplish this, the vessel has been designed with deliberately steep
sides and will use ice strengthened propellers.

"It is able to break the ice which then goes beneath the ship and is washed
away by the propeller system," explained Dr Egerton.

Scale models of the design have already been tested successfully in Germany
and Finland.

For conventional ice-breaking, the boat will have twin steel hulls (8-10cm
thick at the bow and stern).


QUICK FACTS
Initial design concept:
Length: 180m
Beam: 40m
Max. speed: 15 knots
Voyage: up to 60 days
Crew: 120

If the outer hull is punctured the inner will hopefully remain intact.

It will also have a flat rather than pointed bow to allow the ship to drive
forwards, rise up on the ice and let the weight of the ship break the ice.

Diesel engines will propel the ship along.



SCIENCE CAPABILITY

The ship will house between 50 and 70 scientists onboard.

As well as allowing them to routinely drill the Arctic sea floor, Aurora
Borealis will be equipped with a suite of scientific instruments.

Researchers will be able to use boats and a helicopter for direct
observations as well as tools for remote surveys of the sea floor.

The ship will also pack echo sounders along with seismic gravity and
magnetic systems.

In addition, the ship will be able to launch remotely operated vehicles
underneath the ice for direct sampling of the sea floor.

Onboard, the ship will be packed with facilities including clean rooms, deep
freeze specimen stores and labs with "floating floors" to protect sensitive
equipment against vibrations.


COSTS
Design: 12m euros
Construction: 300m euros
Operation: 12m euros/year

Scientists will also be able to use high speed internet and fast data
transmission systems to and from shore-labs.



DRILLING PLATFORM

Only one drilling expedition has ever been mounted in the central Arctic
Ocean because of the expense and difficulty.

Then, three ships were used: one to drill and two to circle the boat keeping
the ice away.

"The piece of ocean crust at the centre of the Central Arctic Ocean is the
least known of any crust in the entire ocean," said Professor Joern Thiede.

But Aurora Borealis should allow scientists to routinely drill the Arctic
sea floor through the summer months.

The rig, which will only operate in summer, will be able to bore up to
1,000m (3,300ft) into the seafloor in water depths of 5,000m (16,400ft).

It will be kept in the same spot using its dynamic positioning system and
lateral ice-breaking capability.



MOON POOLS

The boat will contain two 7m- (23ft) diameter moon pools, openings in the
bottom of the hull to allow scientist direct access to the ocean beneath the
ice.

One of the pools will be used to give the drilling rig access to ice-free
water.

The other will be used for sampling and to launch autonomous unmanned
vehicles (AUV) and remotely operated vehicles (ROV).

Usually these vehicles are launched by a crane over the side of the boat.


NAUTICAL EQUIPMENT
Radar for echo location
Sonar for water depth
Clinometer records ship's motion
Ice forecasting system
Speed log

However, as Aurora Borealis will operate surrounded by ice floes this will
be impossible.

"[The moon pools] guarantee a very safe and protected environment,"
explained Professor Joern Thiede of the Alfred Wegener institute, in
Germany.



GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM




At the moment the designers of the boat say that it will use either the
Russian Glosnass or American GPS system for navigation.

However, it could eventually take advantage of the European Galileo system,
which is currently being built and is expected to come on line in 2012.

As well as being used to accurately pinpoint the boat for navigation, sample
collection and scientific surveys, the designers envisage using one of the
systems to control the boat's dynamic positioning system.



DYNAMIC POSITIONING

This will use satellite-controlled bow thrusters and azipods - electrically
driven propellers mounted on a steerable pod - to keep the boat in position
whilst drilling.

Azipods, commonly used on large cruise ship, are able to turn through 360
degrees and use forward-facing propellers to keep the boat in position.

They will be used in conjunction with the main azimuth steering system at
the stern of the boat to keep the boat in position to an accuracy of 1m.


PROPULSION
Many Arctic ice-breakers use nuclear reactors
Antarctic treaties do not allow nuclear power
Diesel engines will be used to produce power
Two engines will generate 55MW

Retractable bow thrusters which are positioned at right angles to the length
of the ship will increase its manoeuvrability.

One of the challenges of building the boat is designing azipods strong
enough to break any ice that is pushed underneath the boat.



AZIMUTH PROPULSION

The main propulsion for the boat is a so-called azimuth system.

These propellers are mounted on pods which can be rotated in any horizontal
direction, doing away with the need for a conventional rudder.

The ice strengthened system will give the boat better manoeuvrability than a
standard craft.

The diesel engine driven propeller-pods also play a key role in the ships
"dynamic positioning" system which, allows it to maintain an almost constant
position whilst drilling.






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