China uses solarpowered submersible to detect typhoon

Beijing: Scientists have used a solar-powered unmanned submersible to obtain real-time observation data of Typhoon Sinlaku, sources with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Wednesday.

Developed by the academy’s Institute of Atmospheric Physics, the vehicle is called Marine Weather Observer-3 (MWO-3) and is a semisubmersible. It is a key part of a typhoon observation programme led by the China Meteorological Administration.

Chen Hongbin, chief scientist of the submersible programme, said the MWO-3 was equipped with meteorological and ocean observation sensors.