Editing Challenger Deep (section)

===2013 – RV ''Yokosuka''===
With JAMSTEC Cruises YK13-09 and YK13-12, ''Yokosuka'' hosted chief scientist Hidetaka Nomaki for a trip to New Zealand waters (YK13-09), with the return cruise identified as YK13-12. The project name was QUELLE2013; and the cruise title was: "In situ experimental & sampling study to understand abyssal biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles". They spent one day on the return trip at the Challenger Deep to obtain DNA/RNA on the large amphipods inhabiting the Deep (''Hirondellea gigas''). Hideki Kobayashi (Biogeos, JAMSTEC) and the team deployed a benthic lander on 23 November 2013 with eleven baited traps (three bald, five covered by insulating materials, and three automatically sealed after nine hours) into the central basin of the Challenger Deep at {{Coord|11|21.9082|N|142|25.7606|E}}, depth {{convert|10896|m|ft|0}}. After an eight-hour, 46-minute stay at the bottom, they recovered some 90 individual ''Hirondellea gigas''.<ref>[http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/cruise/yokosuka/yk13-12/e "In situ experimental & sampling study to understand abyssal biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles, R/V Yokosuka Cruise Report YK13-12, In situ experimental & sampling study to understand abyssal biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles, western equatorial Pacific; 7–30 Nov 2013"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205075159/http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/cruise/yokosuka/yk13-12/e |date=5 December 2019 }}, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Cruise Report</ref>

[[File:JAMSTEC Deep Sea Research Ship Kairei P7224519.jpg|thumb|RV ''Kairei'' is used as the support ship for deep-diving ROVs.]]