The world's largest and most advanced underwater observatory project was launched Friday in a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in the western Pacific province British Columbia, Canadian media reported.

The 100-million-dollar Neptune Canada project will make it possible for life beneath the ocean to go live on the Internet, giving people an unprecedented experience. Led by the University of Victoria (UVic), it will provide 25 years of long-term monitoring of ocean events as they occur.

"At a time when our understanding of the oceans is clearly becoming more essential than ever, Neptune Canada will play a leadership role in advancing our knowledge of the oceans in ways not previously possible," Dr. David Turpin, UVic president, said in a statement.

The underwater observatory is consisted of five 13-tonne module-like structures, which will be lowered down to the sea floor off the west coast of Vancouver Island, where they will be connected to 800 kilometers of fibre-optic cable winding its way over the sea floor.

The modules contains hundreds of observation instruments that will send real-time data and allow researchers around the world to conduct deep-sea experiments. At depths of up to 2.6 kilometers, the module-like nodes will supply power and two-way communications.

Much of the project's infrastructure was developed by Canadian company Alcatel-Lucent, a global transmission provider known for developing submarine cable networks.

Peter Phibbs, a Neptune Canada engineering spokesman, said the project has taken Canada to the forefront of undersea research.

Neptune Canada data is expected to start flowing in late 2009.

Source: Xinhua