Image Archive

A before and after image of the fantail on the R/V Thompson the day we left port (August 26) and came back (September 10). In between these two port calls, we came back into Newport and loaded another complete set of gear to install on the seafloor. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

Lauren relaxes during a sunny day on the R/V Thompson, Leg 4, VISIONS'14. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, Mumbian Enterprises, Inc. V14 

Myesa Legendre-Fixx on the R/V Thompson on Leg 4 of the VISIONS'14 Expedition. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, University of Washington, V14

Sunset at the end of Leg 4. Photo Credit: Kevin Simans. Image Credit: Kevin Simans, University of Washington, V14.

The VISIONS'14 team was presented a gift near the end of Leg 4  -  a beautiful sunrise. Photo Credit: Billy Medwedeff, Umiversity of Washington, V14.

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The ROV ROPOS samples jets of methane bubbles with a hand-held Niskin bottle. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1784; V14.  

The manipulator arm of the ROV ROPOS reaches for a small block of methane hydrate wedged against a small rampart and nearly vertical wall within a large collapsed area at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Several minutes after sampling this site with the ROV, a continuous jet of methane bubbles issued from the large opening to the right of the hydrate sample. The methane hydrate is translucent, very clean and is reminscent of quartz with a conchoidal-like fracture pattern and is partially encased in a thin skin of sediment. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1784; V14.

ROPOS holds a small piece of translucent methane hydrate - upon release by the manipulator jaws, the methane-ice floated upwards into the water column, confirming to all viewers, that indeed it was methane hydrate. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1748; V14.  

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Mola mola, a sunfish, are the heaviest known bony fish. They can weigh ~2000 lbs - they mainly eat jellyfish. Credit: Billy Medwedeff, University of Washington; V14.

A large lingcod hangs out around a Primary Node PN1C on the cabled observatory. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1789; V14.

Soft corals dot the rough carbonate surfaces of the ~ 60 m-tall limestone monolith west of the active seeps at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1779; V14.

A pod of dolphins surf the waves alongside the R/V Thompson as it was in transit.Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

A broadband seismometer installed inside a buried cassion at Southern Hydrate Ridge by the ROV ROPOS. A follow-on dive will fill the caisson with silica beads, which dampens noise. The broadband and low frequency hydrophone is installed here to detect both large and small earthquakes that may impact the release of methane gas into the hydrosphere. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1779; V14.

Snails form yellow egg stacks and are surrounded by sea anemones at a water depth of ~ 114 m off Oregon. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1780; V14.

An ~60 m tall carbonate pinnacle, west of the active seep site at Southern Hydrate Ridge, hosts abundant soft pink corals and is a rich habitat for squat lobsters, clams, a variety of fish, and crabs. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; Dive R1779; V14.

During Leg 4 of the VISIONS'14 Expedition, the R/V Thompson made a quick visit into Newport Oregon to onload some equipment. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

Danielle Dhanens is a senior in Oceanography at the University of Washington. She is a member of the Leg 4 VISIONS'14 Science Party. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, Mumbian Enterprises, Inc., V14.  

Tysen Mulder is a senior in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington and is a member of the Leg 4 Science Party, VISIONS'14. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, Mumbian Enterprises, Inc., V14. 

Taylor Faubion is a biochemistry major at the University of Washington and is on Leg 4 of the VISIONS'14 Expedition. Photo Credit. Ed McNichol, Mumbian Enterprises, V14.

Kevin Simans, a recent UW, College of the Environment, School of Oceanography graduate. He is a member of the Leg 2 VISIONS'14 Science Party. Photo Credit: Ed. McNichol,© 2014 Mumbian Enterprises, Inc, V14.  

Sometimes the blue of the skies and sea nearly merge...Its great to be at sea. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington; V14.

September 4, 2014 saw beautiful blue skies and equally beautiful seas. Photo Credit. Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

University of Washington, College of the Environment undergraduate students help Rick Berg, a graduate student in the School of Oceanography, sample fluids collected for a year at an active methane seep at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Photo Credit. Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.