London, May 18 (BNA) Deep sea researchers have completed the first full-size digital scan of the Titanic, showing the entire wreck with unprecedented detail and clarity, the companies behind a new documentary about the wreck said Thursday.
Using two remotely operated submersibles, a team of researchers spent six weeks last summer in the North Atlantic Ocean mapping the entire wreckage and the surrounding 3-mile debris field, where personal belongings of ocean occupants like shoes and watches were littered.
Richard Parkinson, founder and CEO of Deep Sea Exploration Magellan, estimated that the resulting data—including 715,000 images—is 10 times greater than any 3D underwater model ever attempted before.
The Titanic was on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City when it struck an iceberg off Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. The luxury ocean liner sank within hours, killing about 1,500 people.
Discovered in 1985, the wreck lies 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) below sea level, about 435 miles (700 kilometers) off the coast of Canada, according to the Associated Press.
Previous images of the Titanic were often limited by low light levels, Giffen says, and only allowed viewers to see one area of the wreck at a time. He said the new 3D model captures both the bow and stern section, which were separated when scuttled, in crisp detail — including the serial number on the propeller.
The researchers spent seven months presenting the large amount of data they collected, and a documentary about the project is expected to be released next year.
But then, Geffen says he hopes the new technology will help researchers work out the details of how the Titanic met its fate and allow people to interact with history in a new way.
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