Investigators:
Colonel Donald Morley
Chief Engineer, Fighter/Trainer Division, Air Logistics Center, San Antonio, TX

Description of Research:
This was an experiment to help determine the feasibility of using blue light emitted from a submersible for the transmission of data in deep water environments. Blue light is electromagnetic radiation within a wavelength range of about 440 to 490 nanometers (nm). The experiment consisted of transmitting 470 nm light from multiple blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) through the acrylic viewing port of a Russian Mir submersible at a depth of 3,850 meters. The results of the experiment "demonstrated that 470 nm light is readily transmitted in the aqueous biological environment of extreme ocean depths, and is not impeded by an acrylic compound representative of standard viewing ports."

The results also "suggest that blue light transmission can be used for cost effective communication, data transmission, and possibly video transmission at useful distances" from submersibles in deep water environments.

Future Research Interests:
Bi-directional imaging and data transmission tests.