Image Archive

The ROV ROPOS installing a bottom-pressure tilt instrument at the summit of Axial Seamount to measure inflation and deflation of the volcano. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS dive R1726.

This unknown species is relatively common at Axial, living among the basalt lava rocks. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1731; V14

This giant rattail is more than 1 m in length explores the ROPOS tool basket in 2014. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1729; V14.

Ciliate colonies thrive near to the base of one of Axial's hydrothermal vents. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V14.

Glob Snails (Depressigyra globulus)

Unknown Sea Cucumber 2. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1716; V14

Specimen from Axial Base. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; V14

A Big Red Jelly floats by the ROPOS camera. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; V13

During ROPOS Dive R1729, a digital-still camera (left), a mass spectrometer (middle) and a fluid- and microbial-DNA sampler (right) were installed in the International District Hydrothermal Field at the vent called El Gordo. A titanium 'hat' rests on top of the structure in a tubeworm and limpet patch. Inside the hat are temperature probes and intake nozzles for the fluid and DNA sampler. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1729; V14.

A huge rattail fish followed the ROV ROPOS around the International District hydrothermal field for several hours. Near the end of the dive it investigated the tool basket, with thoughts that it might get in. Photo credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1729; V14.  

UW bioengineering student Gina Hansen records audio for one of her video projects. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14

A fiber optic cable has been cut and splayed out so that all of its separate parts can be seen. The tiny little clear wire on the upper right is one of the actual optical fibers, of which there are six within the cable. Photo credit: Jesse Turner, University of Washington, V14.

Friedrich Knuth and Jet Leo take a selfy on the bow, where they conduct their evening workout. Photo credit: Friedrich Knuth, College of Charleston, V14.

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Pacific Flatnose (Antimora microlepis) at Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1720; V14.

This species is not yet identified, although it may also be Spinophiura jolliveti.  It is the dominant brittle star at the base of Axial.  Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; R600; V13

Hundreds of Spinophiura brittle stars can be found clinging to nearly all lava flows within Axial Seamount's caldera. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1635; V13

A deep-sea octopus ignores ROPOS at the Escargot hydrothermal vent in the International District vent field at the summit of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1723; V14.

A rear view of the Spider Crab Macroregonic macrochira at Axial Seamount. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1727; V14

The spider crab Macroregonic macrochira is very common at Axial Seamount. Credit:UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1727; V14.

There are likely to be many sea urchins hiding beneath the vast lava rock fields at Axial.Here, several of the Unknown Sea Urchin 1 variety are shown. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1724; V14

The integrated team of UW School of Oceanography Science (Giora Proskurowski), APL- Engineering (Dana Manalang and Trina Litchendorf), and undergraduate student (Christina Ramirez) help ready the digital-still camera for installation in the International District Hydrothermal Field. Photo Credit, Mitch Elend, University of Washington; V14.

Seastars (Class Asteroidea) and Brittle Stars (Class Ophiuroidea) belong to Phylum Echinodermata. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1727; V14

The ROCLS cable drum a few meters above the seafloor as it is being lowered by the R/V Thompson's trawl wire. The drum contains >15,000 feet of extension cable. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1727; V14.

Brittle stars (Ophiuroids) are found everywhere on Axial.  This species (center) may be different from the much more common Spinophiura jolliveti. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1727; V14

Another Deep-Sea Cucumber (perhaps Pannychia moseleyi) poses for a close-up at Axial Seamount. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1727; V14

The ROCLS cable drum with >8000 ft of electro-optical cable is lowered on the R/V Thompsons trawl wire for deployment near PN3B. ROPOS will launch shortly, and acquire the drum with a sonar at ~ 600 ft beneath the surface. Near bottom, an acoustic release will free the drum to rest gently on the seafloor so that ROPOS can latch into it and begin the cable installation at Axial Summit. Photo credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.