Editing Challenger Deep (section)

===2016 – RV ''Xiangyanghong 09''===
The 3,536-ton research vessel ''Xiangyanghong 09'' deployed on Leg II of the 37th China Cruise Dayang (DY37II) sponsored by the National Deep Sea Center, Qingdao and the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, [[Chinese Academy of Sciences]] (Sanya, Hainan), to the Challenger Deep western basin area (11°22' N, 142°25' E) 4 June – 12 July 2016. As the mother ship for China's manned deep submersible [[Jiaolong (submersible)|''Jiaolong'']], the expedition carried out an exploration of the Challenger Deep to investigate the geological, biological, and chemical characteristics of the [[hadal zone]]. The diving area for this leg was on the southern slope of the Challenger Deep, at depths from about {{convert|6300|to|8300|m|ft|0}}. The submersible completed nine piloted dives on the northern backarc and south area ([[Pacific plate]]) of the Challenger Deep to depths from {{convert|5500|to|6700|m|ft|0}}. During the cruise, ''Jiaolong'' regularly deployed gas-tight samplers to collect water near the sea bottom. In a test of navigational proficiency, ''Jiaolong'' used an [[Ultra-short baseline|Ultra-Short Base Line]] (USBL) positioning system at a depth more than {{convert|6600|m|ft|0}} to retrieve sampling bottles.<ref>{{cite journal| url = http://www.chinaoceanengin.cn/article/app/id/0e93ec33-2c88-415e-90af-0597ab748385/flg| author = Xiang Gao |display-authors=etal |title=Target Deployment and Retrieval Using JIAOLONG Manned Submersible in the Depth of 6600 m in Mariana Trench |journal=China Ocean Engineering |year=2017 |volume=31 |issue=5 |pages=618–623| doi = 10.1007/s13344-017-0071-9 | bibcode = 2017ChOE...31..618G | s2cid = 116466712 |doi-access=free }}</ref>