Image Archive

Once again the Smokey Caverns (or Taverns as it is also known) has changed remarkably since we visited it with Jason last year. The area is significantly more rugged, marked by large hummocks. An eelpout, sole, clams and orange rock fish dot the landscape. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A hagfish with mouth wide open slithers around the Southern Hydrate Ridge methane seep site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

An old Ocean Drilling Program hole serves as a nursery for hagfish and crabs at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A rattail fish (Grenadier) investigates two pressure sensors at 9500 ft water depth at the sedimented Slope Base site. The one in the background has been equilibrating since 2017 on the seafloor. Venus fly-trap like anenomies have colonized the cables that allow data to flow to shore in real-time, and a feeding sea star is on the dusty, 2014 sensor. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A hag fish (purple) and rock fish (orange) are on white bacterial mats in the near Einsteins' Grotto. The hole in the upper right is formed when vigorous emission of methane-rich bubbles form plumes and blow out sediment. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A deep sea sole, surrounded by clam shells at Southern Hydrate Ridge (~ 800 m water depth). Credit. UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

An octopus at 9500 ft beneath the oceans' surface finds a home by the leg of one of the Cabled Array junction boxes at the Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A deep sea fish hangs out at Slope Base site at 2900 m water depth (~9500 ft). Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A hagfish hangs out at the Oregon Offshore site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V18.

Rachel experiences the fun of trying on a survival (gumby) suit for the first time onboard the R/V Revelle.

UW Oceanography student, Rachel Scott, enjoys her second day onboard the R/V Revelle during the OOI-NSF Cabled Array VISIONS cruise.

Bing tries on a survival (gumby) suit for the first time on the OOI NSF Cabled Array cruise.

Collage of photos taken from screens in the control van showing microbial mats, hagfish, rockfish, flounders, shells chaff, clam, carbonate cobbles and methane seeps observed at Southern Hydrate Ridge. B-Y. Lee, University of Washington, V18.

Visions'18 JASON Pilot

A weather disturbance in the Gulf of Alaska June 25, 2018, is sending large swells into our work area that prevents diving with heavy packages. This screen grab is from the https://earth.nullschool.net/ site, which we frequently use to get an overview of conditions across the Pacific and more locally. The one shown here is of winds.

Einsteins Grotto, the active methane seep first visited by the UW in 2010, continues to surprise us - this year, multiple bubble streams were issuing from the pit and exposed methane hydrate was documented in the sides of the wall. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.

A Benthic Experiment Package, hosting a variety of instruments, is launched under Jason to take down to the Oregon Offshore site during the NSF-OOI-UW Cabled Array expedition. The package hosts a vareity of instruments (ADCP, CTD, oxygen, pH, currents etc) to examine oceanographic processes on the Oregon margin. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V18.

The remotely operated vehicle Jason, operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, enters the NE Pacifc off Newport Oregon as part of the University of Washington led, NSF-OOI Cabled Array expedition. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V18.

An instrumented "Platform Interface Assembly" from the Slope Base site is recovered onto the deck of the R/V Revelle during the OOI-NSF Cabled Array expedition lead by the University of Washington. The platform was attached to a 7,000 lb, 12 ft across mooring platform at 200 m beneath the suface. Attached to the cable it host 18 instruments sending live data to shore 24/7. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V18.

Jason launched over the side of the R/V Revelle during the NSF-funded OOI Cabled Array expedition. A low voltage junction box, built by the UW Applied Physics Lab, is latched under the vehicles 'belly' to safely take it to the seafloor. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V18.

Visions'18 JASON Expedition Leader

Visions'18 JASON Co-Expedition Leader/Pilot

Visions'18 JASON Data Manager

The back deck (fantail) of the R/V Revelle packed with junction boxes, orange instrumented platforms to swap out with those on mooring platforms 200 m beneath the surface, digital still cameras, sonars awaiting installation on the  Cabled Array. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V18.

Visions'18 JASON Navigator/Pilot

Visions'18 JASON Navigator

Visions'18 JASON Contractor