Image Archive

University of Washington undergraduate student Colin Katagiri and RSN Project Scientist Orest Kawka process fluids collected from ~ 125 off the coast of Newport Oregon at water depths from as great as 9000 ft beneath the oceans surface. Chemical and biological data collected on these samples will be used to optimize sampling strategies of sensors on cabled moorings to be installed at this site next year as part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington.

The R/V Thompson crew watches from the bow as the Thompson transits through the channel our of Newport Oregon into the Pacific for the start of Leg 4 of the VISIONS'13 Expedition. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington.

Beautiful striated pillow basalts form a thick flow on the floor of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, ROPOS Dive R1630; V13

Dr. Danny Grumbaum and Owen Coyle are developing this sea-going, flow-through system. VISIONS '13, Leg 3

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A crab picks its way across a glassy, jumbled lava flow in the caldera of Axial Seamount. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF

Numerous spools of extension cables await deployment on Leg 3. When completed, the VISIONS13 program will have installed ~23,000 m of cable on the seafloor.

ROPOS enters the water on dive 1604 during VISIONS'13. Photo Credit. Mitch Elend.

Several members of the Leg 3 VISIONS'13 team gaze to the west upon leaving Newport at the start of VISIONS '13 Leg 3. Photo by Mary Miller

During Leg 4 of the VISIONS'13 cruise, old battery-powered transponders were recovered because they present navigation hazards. A sharp knife held in the manipulator is used to cut the 150-200 m tether at its base, and it and the transponder come to the surface where they are recovered on the ship. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF

A fossilized lava pond reflects past circulation of melt on the seafloor in a small lava lake. The surface is glass, and fine sediments highight the whirl. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF

A small spider crab walks gingerly across a broken, very glassy lava flow at the summit of Axial Volcano. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.

Beautiful sheet flow swirl with broken hackly edges. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; V13.

Close-up view of a microbial experiment (tubes at right) being conducted by Harvard University. The experiment is located in a diffuse flow site, surrounded by limpets, small tube worms and palm worms. In part, this study is designed to look at microbial utilization of sulfur in these systems. The green lasers from the ROV ROPOS are 10 cm apart. VISIONS '13, Leg 4 Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF.

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With more than 71% of the globe covered by ocean, Earth truly is the Water Planet.

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.