Japanese researchers successfully tested the world's first deep sea probe run on fuel cells in a step toward efficient ocean exploration, an official said Tuesday.

Urashima, a red-and-white, 10-meter (yard) long torpedo-shaped submarine, successfully navigated shallow waters off the port of Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Monday, said Katsumi Nozawa, a spokesman for The Japan Marine Science and Technology Center.

By using hydrogen-based fuel cell batteries, the submarine can more than double the underwater distance covered on standard lithium-ion batteries, Nozawa said.

Equipped with a water sampling device and a digital camera, Urashima is designed to dive as deep as 3,500 meters (2.17 miles) and cruise as far as 300 kilometers (186 miles).

The submarine, scheduled for actual use in 2005, is expected to take deep sea water samples from places unreachable by humans, such as areas around undersea volcanos and below the Arctic ice cap. The goal is to analyze amounts of carbon dioxide, sodium and other chemicals for information on global warming and other environmental changes.

Researchers were planning to test the submarine again Tuesday in deeper waters of the Pacific Ocean, Nozawa said.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Lifestyle News
+October Party meeting focuses on amending Constitution ( 2003-08-12) +Capital Flight: Capture of corrupt officials a long drive ( 2003-08-12) +China condemns US media's spy story ( 2003-08-12) +Foreign trade hits record high in July ( 2003-08-12) +Poisoning victim remains critical ( 2003-08-12)		+Japan successfully tests fuel-cell ocean probe vehicle ( 2003-08-12) +Heat wave death toll rises to 30 in Spain ( 2003-08-12) +College girl students graduate to 'body studies' ( 2003-08-12) +Chicken farmers build nest egg ( 2003-08-12) +Copycats taken to court ( 2003-08-12)