Image Archive

Small sulfide chimneys vent high temperature fluids at the base of the Mushroom sulfide edifice. Dense tubeworm (red plumes), palm worm (brown red plumes), and limpet macrofaunal assemblages completely cover most of the edifice. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF. V13.

Leg 3 included a wonderful mix of scientists, engineers, ROPOS crew, educators and students.

Cody gaining outreach experience during a live broadcast on the R/V Thompson during Leg 3 of VISIONS'13.

My first time sampling fluid on Leg 4 from a water cast at the base of the continental slope.

A holothurian forages at 9000 ft at the base of the continental margin ~ 125 km off Newport Oregon. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.

John and James check out the caisson on the tool sled prior to deployment. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo by Mitchell Elend

A great learning experience regarding the impact of pressure on materials is provided by placing styrofoam cups and heads in mesh bags on the CTD and deploying them >9000 feet beneath the oceans surface. This image shows a very small head that experienced a 'free fall' event when the CTD wire parted after a prior 9000 foot planned trip to the seafloor during routine CTD operations. A wig head that has not yet made it to the seafloor is shown on the right for comparison. Oh, and Deb Kelley's head is used for scale.

I got to collect fluid samples with Colin from the Niskin bottles on the CTD for follow-on shore-based analyses.  Photo Credit: Mitch Elend

The CTD was safely brought onboard after its freefall >9000 feet to the seafloor below. A follow-on test showed it was ok.

First day at the Fire and Safety drill onboard the R/V Thompson, I got to practise the 'art' of putting on a survivial suit.

My first day at sea began with a transit from Newport Oregon to Southern Hydrate Ridge, ~ a 5 hr steam to the west. Photo Credit: Charlie Parker.

The remotely operated vehicle ROPOS used a snap hook connected to a line on its underbelly, hooked into the frame of the CTD for recovery to the surface. The CTD wire failed as the sensor-sampling package was being recovered onto the deck of the Thompon. Luckily, after its >9000 free descent to the seafloor, it landed upright in the soft sediment. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.

The CTD is recovered from a water depth of 2902 m at the base of the subduction zone at a site where full water column moorings will be deployed next year and connected to the cable. The ROV ROPOS attached a snaphook to the top of the CTD frame, securing it under the ROV for transport to the surface. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.

A strong plume of methane-rich bubbles issue from the seafloor at the Summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. This area collapsed sometime between 2010 and 2011, probably due to methane release from the subsurface. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF

This caisson is buried to about 1 m depth beneath the sediments. Next year a broadband seismometer will be placed in it and connected to the cable, providing real-time detection and location of earthquakes. A cover was placed over the caisson to keep sediment from falling into it and animals out. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF. V13.

The ROV ROPOS vacuums out sediment in a caisson at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. In 2014, a broadband seismometer will be placed in the caisson and covered in silica beads to optimize acquisition of acoustic signals by lowering ocean "noise" (e.g. currents). Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF.

Issac on Leg 3 of the VISIONS'13 Expedition.

Julie Ann and Claire sit on the upper deck of the R/V Thompson as it goes through the Ballard locks on Leg 1 of VISIONS'13.

Judy leaviing Seattle to begin the VISIONS'13 adventure.

Putting on an immersion suit is harder than it seems!

Owen Coyle showing student Adrian Rembold how to collect water samples during VISIONS'13, Leg 2. Photo by Mitchell Elend

Departing Newport in the sun, which rapidly turned to fog at the jetty.

Deployment of the Bottom Pressure and Tilt meter off the side of the R/V Thompson in 2013. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington. V13.

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Cody Turner and John Delaney conduct a live broadcast from aboard the R/V Thompson during the VISIONS '13 Expedition, Leg 3. (Photos by Leslie Sautter)

Fredrik Ryden created a prototype 3D visualization of ROPOS dives for his student project.  This image shows 15 dives simultaneously on Axial Caldera's bathymetry.  The black lines are the RSN cable routes extending from Primary Node PN3B (on the lower right of the image).

As her student project, Marisa Gedney is developing an outreach-oriented web site filled with information on Axial Seamount.