Basalt
A marker on basalt at ASHES hydrothermal vent field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
July 28, 2018
Archive
Fried Egg Jelly on a Pillow Basalt
A large Fried Egg Jellyfish (Phacellophora cantschatica) hugs the basalts along the floor of Axial Seamount. The jellyfish is likely a ‘fried egg’ jelly. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1635, V11.
August 11, 2013
Large Striated Pillow Basalts
Beautiful striated pillow basalts form a thick flow on the floor of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, ROPOS Dive R1630; V13
August 10, 2013
Basalt Samples from a Lava Flow
Samples of fresh basalt were collected from Axial Seamount's caldera floor. When fresh, the outer surface of the rock is glassy due to the very rapid cooling and crystallization that occurs when the hot lava comes in contact with the 2oC seawater. This glass – known as obsidian – is very sharp and crumbles easily. (Photos by Leslie Sautter)
July 31, 2013
Basalts Oxidizing
Iron-rich basalts quickly oxidize in the O2-rich atmosphere once on deck. (Photos by Leslie Sautter)
July 31, 2013
Octopus on Basalt Flow at Axial
Octopus on a lava flow in the caldera of Axial Volcano at a depth of ~ 1500 m (nearly 5000 ft beneath the oceans surface). Credit; UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V13.
July 25, 2013
Cable on pillow basalts
This orange, secondary cable was laid about one week ago by ROPOS. The image, taken during the cable inspection portion of Dive 1608, shows the cable on top of pillow basalts on the seafloor at Axial Volcano.
Photo credit: OOI-NSF/UW/CSSF
July 23, 2013
Glassy Basalt Recovered by ROPOS
This very glassy basalt was sampled from the April 2011 lava flow by ROPOS from the southeastern side of the caldera on Axial Seamount. The glass forms when the 1200°C melt meets 2°C seawater. Scientists on land will use the glass to date the sample and to study its geochemistry and gas content. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington. V11.
August 30, 2011
Basaltic Arches
Basaltic arches mark a zone of collapse in flow channels from the April eruption at Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V11.
August 29, 2011
Coral on Pillow basalts
Pillow basalts, interspersed with sediment ponds, mark old lava flows on the flanks of Axial Seamount. The rocks and sediment are host to occasional deep sea corals.
August 22, 2011