Scientific Diving at the ICBM
Scientific Diving at the ICBM
Possible applications
When working underwater, scientists are able to use their expertise to address their questions directly on site. E.G:
- targeted procurement of organism, water, sediment or material samples
- Installation and maintenance of experimental equipment
- Mapping, image documentation
Further information:
Research diving in Germany
Scientific underwater operations carried out by German research and educational institutions must comply with the DGUV rules. Central to this is DGUV Rule 101-023 “Research Diving”, which sets out high safety standards and is derived from DGUV Regulation 40 “Diving Operations” (requirements for commercial diving).
According to DGUV Rule 101-023, a diving team must be deployed. This consists of a person in charge (dive mission leader), a signal person, a safety diver and an operational diver. If there are no difficult conditions, the roles of dive mission leader and signal person may be filled by a single person. Whilst the operational diver usually carries out the work whilst diving alone, the signal person maintains contact via a signal line or, in some cases, additionally via underwater communication to control and monitor the dive.
The person acting as a safety diver must stand by at the surface, wearing almost all of their diving equipment, so that they can quickly reach the operational diver and assist them in an emergency. The dive supervisor must plan the operations and ensure their safe and effective execution, thereby assuming a high degree of responsibility.
The ‘buddy system’ used in recreational diving, whereby two divers are underwater at the same time and are expected to look out for one another, is neither effective nor permissible in the professional sector. Similarly, a recreational diving licence is not sufficient for scientific diving operations.
The DGUV rule on “research diving” explicitly stipulates that only trained and DGUV-certified research divers may be deployed on missions. Individuals holding a US (AAUS) or Canadian (CAUS) certificate in scientific diving can obtain the German certificate via a so-called crossover.
Further information: