Image Archive

A Starry Flounder hangs out during installation of short-period seismometers at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1769; V14.

Hagfish (purple), red rockfish, crabs, and hermit crabs wander within the nusery for Neptunea snails laying eggs that form yellow stocks on carbonate cobbles. Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1766; V14.

The digital still camera (CAMDSB103) sits atop a small, heavilysedimented rampart in front of the actively venting methane seep Einstein's Grotto at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1767; V14.

A rockfish and hemit crabs hang out in a nursery of Neptunea snails at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge.The snail stalks rise from small carbonate cobbles. Photo credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1766; V14.

A strong bubble plume issues from Einstein's Grotto early morning of August 29, 2014. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1761; V14.  

Close up of a Neptunea snail on its egg stalk at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1758; V14.

A nursery of Neptunea snails rest atop their egg stalks, babysitting them until the adult snails die and fall off the stalks. The eggs are laid on small carbonate cobbles. Rockfish, sole, spider crabs, and hermit crabs wander through the forest of stalks. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1758; V14.  

A methane bubble plume west of Einstein's Grotto at Southern Hydrate Ridge Summit. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R1754, V14.

Exposed gas hydrate (a clathrate of water ice that forms around methane) observed in Einstein,s Grotto at the Southern Hydrate Ridge summit. Large bubbles were escaping intermittently from the crevice, indicating an active methane seep. A rockfish is sheltering within the grotto as well. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF, ROPOS Dive R1754, VI14.

We encountered a little piece of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) at Hydrate Ridge during survey dive R1754. The flamingo has seen better days, but it is also now hosting some invertebrate friends. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1754, VISIONS14

An eelpout resting on the sediment at Hydrate Ridge, near Einstein's Grotto. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1750, V14

A CAT flow meter near Einstein's Grotto. It is home to a rockfish and sea star. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1750, V14

A spiny pink crab (missing a rear leg) seen at Hydrate Ridge, near Einstein's Grotto. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1750, V14

A pair of hermit crabs (possibly mating?) at Hydrate Ridge, near Einstein's Grotto. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1750, V14

Thick bacteria mats rimmed by colonies of yellow worms at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Photo credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1750; V14

The opening to the methane vent called Einstein's Grotto has grown significantly larger since 2013. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1750; V14.  

Clams at Southern Hydrate Ridge host symbiotic microbes. This colony is perched at the ledge above Einstein's Grotto, which in 2013 was actively venting. Ccredit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1750; V14.

Crab sitting near carbonate cobble at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1750; V14.