Image Archive

Pudgy Cusk Eel (Spectrunculus grandis)

A Pudgy Cusk Eel (Spectrunculus grandis) visits Jason again in 2023. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; J2-1523; V23.

A black rattail (aka Grenadier) at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera, near the HD video camera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1534, V23.

A juvenile Peregrine falcon showed up on the Thompson during V23 Leg 2, hanging out on the bow radar tower! It's been hunting seabirds and then returning to the ship to feed, and is keeping us company as we head from Axial to Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington.

A Giant Pacific Octopus claimed this cable-laying platform near primary node PN1D, near the Oregon Shelf (80 m) site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1529, V23.

Metridium anemones and several California Sea Cucumbers (Apostichopus californicus) cover the top and sides of primary node PN1D, near the Oregon Shelf (80 m) site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1529, V23.

There were several California Sea Cucumbers (Apostichopus californicus) on the sides of primary node PN1D, near the Oregon Shelf (80 m) site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1529, V23.

We encountered a few Dungeness crabs during the survey of PN1D, near the Oregon Shelf site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1529, V23.

Jason encountered a Giant Phantom Jelly (Stygiomedusa gigantea) during the ascent from the Slope Base site (2900 meters), an extremely rare sighting of this massive (up to 10 meters long) jellyfish. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1523, V23.

Life thrives on the Shallow Profiler Platform including feather stars (crinoids), brittle stars, and translucent scallops. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; J2-1514; V23.

A large lingcod lounges on the sedimented seafloor at the Oregon Shelf site. Credit: UW/NSF-OO/WHOI; J2-1512; V23.

A large lingcod greeted the ROV at the Oregon Shelf site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; J2-1512; V23.

Feathery crinoids, brittle stars, a beautiful nudibranch

A squat lobster (galatheid crab) living on the Axial Base Shallow Profiler mooring. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1150, V19

A rattail fish swimming past some cables near the seafloor at Axial Base (2700 m). Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1157, V19

A rattail fish with a large parasitic copepod attached swims past a pink sea cucumber at Slope Base (2900 m). Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1159, V19

Scale worms crawling around some limpets on the side of a chimney at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Ridgeia tube worms (left) and palm worms (right) on the side of a chimney at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Ridgeia tube worms (left) and palm worms (right) on the side of a chimney at ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

The bright red gill plumes of Ridgeia tube worms growing around a hydrothermal vent at ASHES in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Red Ridgeia tube worm gills and white bacterial mats growing around a hydrothermal vent at ASHES in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Ridgeia tube worm gill plumes contrast with the white bacterial mats growing around a hydrothermal vent at ASHES in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Close-up of Ridgeia worm tubes and gill plumes at a hydrothermal vent at ASHES in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

A hydrothermal vent chimney at ASHES in Axial Caldera, covered with Ridgeia tube worms, palm worms, limpets, scale worms, and bacteria. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Palm worms extending up the side of a hydrothermal vent chimney at ASHES in Axial Caldera. A scale worm and limpets are on the left side of the chimney. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

Scale worms crawling over filamentous bacterial mats and blue ciliates on the side of a hydrothermal vent chimney at ASHES in Axial Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1197, V19

A Giant Blob Sculpin (Psychrolutes phrictus; ID from B. Frable, SIO) swam over to stare disapprovingly at our temperature probes prior to the thermistor survey at ASHES vent field on Axial Volcano (1540 m). Photo Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1196, V19