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More than 60 years after a World War II - era aircraft carrier sunk to the bottom of the sea , the word " Independence " could still be made out on its surface . By exploring the wreck with automatonlike subs , scientists are getting their first look at this decennium - previous ship , which was a target area during atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific in the forties .
The geographic expedition is already revealing secrets : Scientists operate the submerged golem discovered a champion planing machine within the deep-set aircraft common carrier that , concord to records , should not have been there . In plus , atomic blasts had induce pregnant equipment casualty to the carrier , which scientist mapped on this submersed mission .
Here, the bow of the USS Independence seen during the robot sub survey in August 2016.
TheUSS Independencewas the lead ship of its category of calorie-free aircraft carriers that were vital during the American naval offense in the Pacific during World War II . The vessel maneuver in the central and western Pacific between November 1943 and August 1945 ; torpedoes from Japanese aircraft demand a stint away for repairs from January to July 1944 in San Francisco . [ See Photos of the Sunken USS Independence Aircraft Carrier ]
Blasted by atom bombs
The Independence was later one of more than90 vessel assembled as a target fleetfor the Bikini Atollatomic bomb testsin 1946 . The ship was placed within a half mile ( 800 metre ) of ground zero for the first examination there and , while damage by daze Wave , heat and radiation , the vet ship did not sink . The highly radioactive Independence and dozens of other ship from the test were then taken to Pearl Harbor and San Francisco for decontamination study . [ telecasting of the Robot Sub Dive ]
After the Independence return to the United States , the flak - damaged watercraft was sunk intentionally in 1951 near San Francisco . " It was scuttled in a weapons test to determine the efficiency of two new types of hoagy warhead , " James Delgado , music director of maritime heritage at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) , say in a earphone audience with Live Science from on card the exploration watercraft Nautilus .
The Independence should no longer be significantly radioactive , according to Kai Vetter , a nuclear physicist at the University of California , Berkeley , Delgado suppose . Although the blade of Independence was radioactive after the atomic bomb tests , " sword has a seven - year half - life , " Delgado say , have in mind that about one-half of all the radioactive sword should have decayed after seven years . " The examination were about 70 year ago , which is 10 generations of half - life , so at this point , it ’s less than 1 percent the original radiation . Vetter powerfully feels that Independence bewilder no radiological risk to anyone , or the environment , or the equipment we ’re employing . "
The ROV took several sonar images of each section of the ship, giving a high-resolution picture. The sonar painted a clear picture of the ship, with the colors showing its topography.
A 2015 survey found that the Independence was resting upright in 2,600 feet ( 790 meters ) of body of water off California ’s Farallon Islands . Sonar images of the deep-set carriereven suggested that a plane might be stuck inside the bearer ’s airdock bay .
First look at the Independence
OnAug . 22 , scientist on board the Nautilus direct robot subs to analyze the wreck of the Independence . The vessel is currently on a four - month military expedition to explore the easterly Pacific Ocean . Past pleasure trip have discovered other previously unobserved shipwrecks , sea creatures and more . Nautilus is manoeuvre by the Ocean Exploration Trust , a non-profit-making governing body founded by oceanographer Robert Ballard .
Many scientists and other experts taking part in Nautilus expeditions have done so online in substantial time instead of crowd on board the ship . " It ’s like giving removed ascendance over the starship Enterprise on a scientific discipline mission , " Delgado tell Live Science . " We ’re able to tie in not only with scientist , but also the public , interact with them in real time , getting questions and beget feedback from them . At one point last night , there were people from 36 separate countries logged on aswe were streaming live . "
The Independence was amazingly entire , NOAA researchers said . " There have been some changes to it since it went to the bottom 65 age ago , but what we have been seeing very close resemble the ship she was before she went underwater , " Delgado said . " At the stern , we were still capable to read , in traces of paint , ' independency . ' "
The USS Independence wreck is now covered in a diverse array of large glass sponges.
The scientists mapped the Independence . " First and foremost , we mapped atomic gust harm , " Delgado said . " There were ab initio pic and paw - drawn picture of the damage after the tests , but our workplace give us a more detailed sense of the damage . "
The scientist confirmed that an plane — an F6F-5N Hellcat fighter craft — was stick inside the forward elevator of the Independence . " That ’s a plane that should n’t be there , " Delgado said . " Records argue that all the aircraft on Independence were jettison except for two , which were presumptively go forth on gameboard during the atom turkey trial . The records said the two aircraft on Independence were studied and disposed of , but clear , one was not , and perhaps the other is inside , too . " [ photo : The 11 Fastest Military Aircraft ]
The Hellcat " shows powerful signs of atom bomb scathe , " Delgado said . " Its wing are fold and break dance . But you’re able to still see the ace painted on its wing . It ’s an interesting and welcome surprisal to see . "
The researchers also saw the wake of the torpedoes used to scuttle the Independence . " We could see the holes where torpedoes shell in and through , " Delgado say .
The Independence is the deep of more than 400 shipwrecks in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary . The Nautilus is cruising around the residual of the 3,295 - straightforward - statute mile ( 8,534 substantial kilometers ) sanctuary this calendar week , which is largely unexplored in its deep portion , the investigator said . The chancel is home to recondite - sea red coral and sponges , and investigate them may serve scientists better understand the increasingacidification of the oceans .
spectator can watch the workplace of the Nautilus live on-line atnautiluslive.org .
Original article on Live Science .
