Image Archive

A spider crab crawling next to a cavernous hole formed by a collapsed lava bubble near the Trevi vent at Axial Seamount. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2244, V22

A deep-sea purple octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) seen during a survey on the Eastern flank of Axial Caldera. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2243, V22

A dinner plate jelly seen during the ROV ascent following a survey dive at Central Caldera on Axial Seamount. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2241, V22

A deep-sea purple octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) sitting on a jumbled lava flow at the ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2240, V22

A blue shark investigating the deep profiler recovery frame attached to the front of ROPOS at the Oregon Offshore site. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2231, V22

A blue shark investigating the deep profiler recovery frame attached to the front of ROPOS at the Oregon Offshore site. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2229, V22

A fish swims past ROPOS as it approaches the top bumper of the Deep Profiler mooring cable. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2229, V22

A warty, deep-sea purple octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) hiding beneath a ledge on a lava pillar at Axial Seamount. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2213, V22

The yellow pillars are vertical egg cases laid by Neptunea snails at Pinnacle, near Southern Hydrate Ridge, providing cover for rockfish and crabs. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22

A crevice opened up in the sediment and carbonate rock near Southern Hydrate Ridge (likely due to methane gas and hydrate buildup beneath the surface) is filled with white, sulfide oxidizing bacterial mats. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22

A roughtail skate sitting next to the CAT fluid sampler at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2227, V22

While replacing a seismometer at Southern Hydrate Ridge, we observed a hagfish (at right) and a large number of brittle stars (ophiuroids) carpeting the sediment. The object on the right is the "undervator" that latches beneath the ROV to bring instruments and materials to the seafloor and back. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2225, V22

Tiny shrimp and bryozoans have made a home on the top of a 3D velocity meter (VEL3D) at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2221, V22

Hagfish, rockfish, a sea star, and a hermit crab at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2221, V22

A rockfish resting on carbonate cobbles at Southern Hydrate Ridge. A tiny, white sea star can be seen in the lower right corner. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2221, V22

A pink anemone grows on a discarded tarp or bag at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Solid attachment points can be hard to find in the deep sea, so human-made objects (instruments, cables, or even trash) often attract encrusting animals. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2221, V22

A pink anemone grows on a discarded tarp or bag at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Solid attachment points can be hard to find in the deep sea, so human-made objects (instruments, cables, or even trash) often attract encrusting animals. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2221, V22

A Poralia jellyfish in the water column above ASHES vent field in Axial Caldera. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2214, V22

R2214_30202

An instrument, known as the Universal Fluid Obtainer (UFO), used by PI Dr. Rika Anderson (Carleton College) to collect and filter water from a diffuse flow vent in the International District at Axial Seamount. The vent itself is surrounded by blue ciliates. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2213, V22.

A blob sculpin resting on the pillow basalts at Axial Caldera, near the International District vent field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2211, V22.

Bryozoans, a type of filter-feeding, moss-like animal, are a common type of biofouling organism found on the Shallow Profiler components, like this electrical junction (aka FACT cage) at Axial Base. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2209, V22.

Bryozoans, a type of filter-feeding, moss-like animal, are a common type of biofouling organism found on the Shallow Profiler components, like this electrical junction (aka FACT cage) at Axial Base. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2209, V22.

A king crab walking along the seafloor near Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22.

A deep-sea sole swims towards the ROV during a survey at Pinnacle, near Southern Hydrate Ridge. The marker on the left is from a previous expedition, and is now home to soft corals, rockfish and a nudibranch. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22.

Pink soft corals, with their polyps extended, cover a carbonate outcrop at Pinnacle, a large seafloor feature near Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22.

Soft corals and bacterial mats cover the sediment and carbonate rock crevices at Pinnacle, near Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, Dive R2228, V22.