(rapid music up)
A 20 year journey is nearing its end.
But for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which monitors our entire
planet for nuclear tests, the work is far from over.
To complete its capability to hear nuclear explosions in the world's oceans.
The CTBTO must first install a hydroacoustic monitoring station in one of most remote places
on Earth – the ocean floor halfway between Africa and Antarctica.
When completed, Hydroacoustic Station Number 4 at the Crozet Islands will join the CTBTO
international monitoring system to detect and alert the world of nuclear testing.
Installing a hydroacoustic station is a complex engineering task.
The hydroacoustic system we're installing at Crozet is one of six hydropacoustic stations.
But these hydroacoustic stations are part of the international monitoring system which
has over 300 stations listening for potential nuclear tests around the globe.
In the pursuit to develop more accurate and destructive nuclear weapons, Over 2000 nuclear
bombs were detonated in the last half of the 20th century.
But in 1996, the global community said, “enough” and signed the United Nations comprehensive
nuclear test ban treaty.
Today 183 countries have voluntarily agreed to stop nuclear testing.
But while signed in good faith, it is the mission of the CTBTO to verify the treaty's
compliance with hard data.
We're moving towards the final stages now of installing the HA04 station,
but we're working in the Roaring 40's so the weather is unpredictable.
Those places, “Roaring Forties” are legendary among sailors and people who work at sea as
some of the most difficult oceans in the world.
You have what is called an unlimited fetch.
Currents that are also merging coming down from South Africa merging with circumpolar
currents that go all around the world, really undisturbed.
In these difficult conditions was really something that put a lot of stress on everybody, on
all the teams.
You know that you're not afforded... you're not allowed many mistakes.
(Sounds of divers)
Crozet is not only harsh environment above the sea surface, but it is a harsh environment
underwater.
But we knew that we had a mission to accomplish, that was to install that station, despite
the difficulties, despite the harsh environment – the complexity of the project.
We had to do it!
Once we get going we can adjust it, OK?
After more than four years of meticulous planning, two triplets of underwater microphones, called
hydrophones, are finally loaded onto a specialized cable ship.
We have to be very careful loading our system on.
We have a lot of cables connecting the system together and there's also some delicate
electronics, there's a laser systems etc.
We have specialist crane operators.
And we have 10 people plus supporting the loading.
And then we travel to the cable factory in Portsmouth
It will take three days to load 120 km of underwater cable...
And another five weeks to reach the Crozet islands in the south Indian ocean.
When you arrive in Crozet and there are hundreds of penguins, it's magical.
This natural reserve has enormous importance for France which works to ensure that the
islands’ original character is preserved.
It is something very important.
With this new installation, the French Administration of the island (TAAF “Terres Australes et
Antartiques Françaises”) has a representative with us at all times to verify that all aspects
of the installation do not disturb the animals.
Several experts advised us that the good time to be there would be between December and February.
However, it turns out that December was just apparently one of the worst ones ever
had on record.
What was happening was that these systems were brewing up south of South Africa and
being launched at us like Frisbees.
These were freezing cold hurricanes with snow and hail.
And when the wind starts to be about 100 miles an hour you have to go down and walk on all
fours and work your way up because dinner is up at the base.
Brief breaks between passing storms allow just enough time to deploy the hydrophones
to the sea floor.
When all systems are “go,” the ship releases the orange floats from their anchors, lifting
the underwater microphones to their intended depths.
...and then bang you see these things arrive
and then you start finally seeing data so you start hearing whales
...you start... you suddenly have eyes underwater
Water
From the Indian ocean, down to the artic sea, from the Atlantic to the pacific, hydro acoustic
station #4 at the Crozet islands is now online, relaying data, in real time, to CTBTO headquarters
in Vienna.
The data is analyzed and shared with test ban treaty member states almost as fast as
it comes in.
With 90% of its entire international monitoring system in place, and its capability to monitor
the world's oceans complete, the CTBTO can detect and alert the world to any potential
nuclear test, anywhere on the planet 24/7, 365 days a year.
(Sound of helicopter)