In 1901 , RRS Discovery helped plunge the “ Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration ” when it took exploration luminaries like Robert Falcon Scott ( who led the expedition ) andErnest Shackletonon their first trip into the ice - packed water of the distant Dixie . Now , 123 years by and by , researchers have create a “ digital twin ” of the pioneering vessel that volunteer unexampled insights into the life of south-polar explorers .
A first of its kind
The Royal Research Ship ( RRS ) Discovery was built in Dundee , Scotland . It was the first ship in the world to be specifically designed to hold out scientific research in the harsh Antarctic surroundings and provide its crew with an ideal home while they hold out the first official British expedition to the realm since 1839 .
This famous ocean trip also represented the starting stop for some of the most influential soma in the story of Antarctic exploration , including the careers of Robert Falcon Scott ( who led the expedition ) , Ernest Shackleton , Edward Wilson , Frank Wild , Tom Crean , and William Lashly .
During the expedition , the team carried out scientific and geographical research into what was basically an untouched and unknown continent . Its success was not only a landmark in the story of British Antarctic geographic expedition , but also inspire subsequent voyages in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration , in the eld between the end of the 19thcentury and the Shackleton – Rowett Expedition of 1921–1922 .
In 1901, RRS Discovery and her crew set sail on the first official British expedition to the Antarctic since James Clark Ross’s journey in 1839.Image credit: Dundee Heritage Trust
The geographic expedition ’s discovery admit the Cape Crozier emperor penguin colony and many marine species , snow - innocent ironical valleys in the western mountains , the Antarctic plateau – where the South Pole is located – and evidence that the Ice Barrier was a floating trash shelf .
After this voyage , RRS Discovery had subsequent Antarctic expeditions in 1925 and 1929 , but then became a grooming ship base in London in the years between 1931 and 1979 . Then , in 1986 , it returned to Dundee where it has become a multi - award - winning visitor attraction operated by Dundee Heritage Trust . Every yr , the old Antarctic explorer pull in over 80,000 visitor who want to know more about its career .
The “digital twin” comes to life
Using state - of - the - artistry engineering , a team led by researchers at the University of Southampton have now created a extremely accurate 3D representation of RRS Discovery . The young “ digital twin ” provides new insights into how the ship was built and used while also inform ongoing restoration work on the original watercraft .
“ This digital counterpart provides an amazing chance for more multitude to explore this fascinating ship and learn about its history in a entirely new way – including areas of the ship that can not be accessed by the public , ” Dr Michael Grant , from Coastal and Offshore Archaeological Research Services at the University of Southampton , explained in astatement .
“ Through this we can obtain even greater insight into the living of the people who explore the Antarctic over a 100 ago , supply the foundation for much of the ocean and climate skill being undertaken today . ”
The team create the delegacy by making digital recording of the vessel using unmanned ethereal vehicle ( UAVs ) and optical maser scanners . The latter enabled the team to catch the ship ’s precise chassis , dimension , and item . This was add on withLiDAR – a proficiency for remote perception that habituate brightness level in the mannikin of a pulsed optical maser – and photogrammetry sketch , which created the extremely accurate 3D representation of the whole ship , including its interior and exterior .
“ With the rise of new engineering science , such as optical maser scanners and UAVs ” , Dr Felix Pedrotti , from the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute at the University of Southampton , explained , “ we can now make highly precise digital Twin . These digital replicas offer invaluable insights into the RRS Discovery , include its structures and layouts . "
The production of the digital representation coincides with a major centenary celebration for the ship . In 2023 , RRS Discovery celebrate 100 years since she was purchase by the British Government and depart to be refit for the Discovery Oceanographic Expeditions as the first ever Royal Research Ship .
In 2025 , it will be the centennial of this expedition , which endure until 1927 and offer valuable scientific insights , including a greater understanding ofwhalingand the ecosystem of the great whale , which started preservation cerebration .
“ This digital model marks the beginning of an exciting project to bring together the stories of the RRS Discovery , which will ensure all the artefacts and findings of those early dispatch are available to all , enhancing our understanding of the work set about by the ship then and how this enquiry continues today ” , Dr Tammy Horton , Senior Research Scientist and manager of the Discovery Collections at the National Oceanography Centre , Southampton , conclude .
