China’s new generation of comprehensive marine scientific-research vessel Kexue, or Science, went back to her home port in Qingdao on Feb 7, after finishing the 2017 western Pacific comprehensive research. During the trip, a scientific research team successfully deployed China’s first deep-sea real-time observation network. Data such as temperatures, salinity and ocean currents within 3,000 meters under the sea in the western Pacific Ocean can be transmitted every other hour.

The scientific research team poses for a group photo before installing the buoy, Dec 31, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

The scientific research team installs the buoy, Dec 10, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]