Credit: Z. DAGBAYEV/ITAR-TASS

Russian scientists are preparing to dive to the very bottom of Siberia's Lake Baikal — the deepest lake in the world, at 1,637 metres.

The expedition will use the manned submersibles Mir-1 and Mir-2 (pictured) and is led by Anatoly Sagalevich, the head of the deep manned submersibles lab at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Moscow. During around 30 dives, the scientists will take water and sediment samples from Baikal and hunt for hydrothermal vents that spew superheated water into the lake.

Robert Nigmatulin, head of the Shirshov Institute, says that they aim to collect gas hydrate deposits at the bottom of the lake. Gas hydrates have been found in boreholes drilled more than 100 metres below the lake bed and also show up in seismic surveys.

The team plans to explore the lake for about a month and will return to the lake next year.