The submersions involve experts from the Baikal Institute of Nature Management of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  The Mir-1 manned submersible’s crew is comprised of pilot A. M. Sagalevich, A. K. Tulokhonov, and V. E. Fortov; Mir-2 includes a crew of pilot Ye. S. Chernyayev, V. V. Vlasov, and E. T. Bazarsadayeva.  The researchers use their five-hour submersions to conduct a series of studies and experiments focused on gas hydrates formation’ at depths around 600 meters.
They conduct an experiment designed to establish how methane manages to create gas hydrates.  Two-liter containers filled with pure methane are placed in water, with the scientists recording the depths at which these begin forming into gas hydrates.  The experiment shows that this process occurs at around 600 meters.  But the hydrate begins to undergo sudden decay as it is lowered further in the water.  The scientists intend to continue and perfect these experiments to better understand the nature of this phenomenon.