'Osmo' samplers draw hydrothermal fluids into small capillary-like tubing and allow long-term sampling of diffuse and black smoker hydrothermal fluids, as well as fluids from methane seeps. Osmo samplers in this image (white canisters) are attached in an in situ 'microbial' incubator deployed inside the walls of a black smoker chimney called Gremlin. The osmo samplers allowed collection of vent fluids for 1-year, while the microbial incubator collected hundreds of temperature measurements inside the wall of the black smoker. Novel microbes colonized mineral wafers and new sulfide precipitates inside 4 discrete chambers within the incubator. This experiment, lead by D. Kelley, University of Washington, was designed to look at the upper temperature limit of life. Osmo samplers will be deloyed at the ASHES hydrothermal field and at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge during the VISIONS'13 expedition.

This temperature-resistivity sensor was deployed in the 380°C black smoker chimney called 'Sully' in 2000. A similar probe will be deployed in the International District during the VISIONS'13 expedition.

VISIONS'13 Main Image

The temperature-resistivity instrument measures, in real-time, the temperature of black smoker fluids (>400°C) and the resistivity of the fluids as a proxy for chlorinity. Vents at Axial Seamount are boiling, producing fluids that are very low in chloride content (salts). Boiling is an important processes because it enhances precipitation of precious metals in seafloor black smokers.

The R/V Thompson holds station in Nootka Sound, an inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The R/V Thompson on its way to the NE Pacific, heads towards the Ballard locks. The locks provide passage to Puget Sound and the Straits of Juan de Fuca, the gate way to the Pacific ocean.

Some of the special capabilities of ROPOS are that it can lift up to 4,000 lbs and directly couple to Junction Boxes for deployment to the seafloor, such as the one shown here. This was a test deployment of a Junction Box "shell", not yet fully outfitted with electronics, cables and sensors conducted in 2011.

This low voltage node will be deployed during Leg 2 of the VISIONS'13 expedition at the Offshore site west of Newport Oregon at a water depth of ~600 m. It will provide a connection for the Endurance array Benthic Experiment Platform (BEP).

During the VISIONS'13 expedition the ROV ROPOS, installed >22,000 m of extension cables onto the seafloor using the remotely operated cable laying system (ROCLS) shown here attached to its underbelly. The cables will provide power and real-time, two-way communication to a diverse array of instruments and junction boxes.

Over 22 km of extension cables were deployed by the robotic vehicle ROPOS during the VISIONS'13 expedition.The cables were spooled onto drums and installed using the Remotely Operated Cable Laying System (ROCLS) latched beneath ROPOS.

Preparing to "capture" an underwater volcano in the northeast Pacific Ocean.  

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V'13 Expedition Main Image

Locations NSF's Ocean Observatory Initiative Sites. Credit: University of Washington, Center for Environmental Visualization.

OOI Map with RSN inset

OOI RSN cable system map

Secondary Cable Image with ROPOS ROV

Once the cable, terminations and flange box are loaded onto the ROCLS drum (shown here with the outer end of the cable, termination, connector, etc. strapped to the drum) they are stored in the warehouse until it is time to load the cable drum onto the ship for installation.

The first step in the cable loading process is to pack the flange box used by ROPOS for seafloor deployment. The flange box protects the components and makes them easier for the ROV to handle on the seafloor. Components are the 400- to 4700-meter long secondary cable (yellow), cable termination (cylindrical titanium case near the top), oil-filled hose (orange), and the ROV wet-mateable connector (with orange handle and green ring next to coiled hose) that will plug into a receptacle on the primary or secondary node.

Custom-designed secondary cable is delivered from the manufacturer on wooden reels (left). The cable must then be transfered to the  aluminum drum (right) used in the ROV ROPOS cable laying system.

James Tilley, an Applied Physics Laboratory electrical engineer, works on a circuit board that will be installed in a secondary node. Photo by Mary Levin / UW

PN5A-Overview Image

PN3B-Overview Image

PN3A-Overview Image

PN1C and PN1D-Overview Image

PN1B-Overview Image

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