The China-Chile Atacama Trench Joint Scientific Expedition Successfully Concludes

On the Chinese scientific research vessel “Tansuo-1” docked at Valparaíso, Chile, a summary ceremony was held on the fifth day of the China-Chile Atacama Trench manned deep-sea exploration joint expedition. The expedition successfully completed multiple tasks, including exploring the biodiversity of the Atacama Trench, chemosynthetic ecosystems, and subduction mechanisms.
This expedition was jointly organized by the Deep Sea Science and Engineering Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Concepción in Chile, lasting more than 40 days. During this period, the Chinese-developed “Fighter” manned submersible carried by “Tansuo-1” completed 36 dives, collecting over 3,500 biological samples, laying a solid foundation for further multidisciplinary research in the deep ocean.
During the expedition, chief scientist Du Mengran told reporters that one of the most important achievements was the first observation of the deepest cold seep ecosystem in the Southern Hemisphere, providing strong evidence for China’s proposed hypothesis of the “Global Energy Synthesis Life Corridor.”
Researchers also discovered at least three different species of abyssal lionfish in the same trench for the first time, reflecting high fish biodiversity in the region.
Cold seep ecosystems refer to biological communities that utilize chemicals emanating from the seafloor cold springs as energy for chemosynthesis, developing into a unique ecosystem in the dark depths of the ocean, sustained by chemosynthesis.
The “Global Energy Synthesis Life Corridor” hypothesis suggests that such systems are widely developed at the bottom of global ocean trenches.
Researchers also identified submarine fault rupture structures related to major earthquakes in Chile’s history, providing rare in-situ observational evidence for understanding how seismic activity shapes deep-sea landforms and affects biological habitats.
This expedition is also part of the international joint expedition under China’s leading large-scale scientific project, the “Global Abyss Exploration Program.”(Xinhua News Agency)