A blue shark swims past a school of fish near the surface at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2260, V22

Unidentified squid seen during the ROV ascent from the seafloor at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2260, V22

Looking down on a galatheid crab sitting on the rope attached to a marker next to the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water. A number of venus flytrap anemones are also attached to the hard surfaces here. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A galatheid crab (aka squat lobster) sitting on the rope attached to a marker next to the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water. A number of venus flytrap anemones are also attached to the hard surfaces here. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A unique community of invertebrates gathered around the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water, including a Bathydoris nudibranch, flytrap anemones, galatheid crabs, and sea cucumbers. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A unique community of invertebrates gathered around the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water, including a Bathydoris nudibranch, flytrap anemones, galatheid crabs, and sea cucumbers. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A unique community of invertebrates gathered around the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water, including a Bathydoris nudibranch, flytrap anemones, galatheid crabs, and sea cucumbers. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A startled squid (likely Octopoteuthis deletron) releasing ink during the descent towards the Slope Base Shallow Profiler anchor. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

A deep-sea octopus (possibly Muusoctopus?) seen at Slope Base during the Shallow Profiler EOM anchor inspection. Two anemones are attached to the nearby cable. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2256, V22

A deep-sea octopus (possibly Muusoctopus?) seen at Slope Base during the Shallow Profiler EOM anchor inspection. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2256, V22

An echinothuriid sea urchin at Slope Base during the 2022 recovery of the MJ01A junction box. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, ROPOS Dive R2250, V22.

The bottom pressure and tilt unit (BOTPT) measures the inflation and deflation of the seafloor at the summit of Axial Seamount using a precision pressure sensor and tilt meter that enable detection of the seafloor’s rise, fall, and deformation as molten rock moves in and out of the underlying magma chamber. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2249, 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 rubbly, jumbled sheet flow in the ASHES hydrothermal field at ~ 1500 m water depth, summit of Axial Seamount Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2240, V22.

Hundreds of limpets are intermixed with beautiful brown anemones, scale worms, scarce tubeworms, and filamentous bacteria in a diffuse flow site at ASHES hydrothermal field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS dive R2240; V22.

A CTD, funded by and NSF-award to Dr. William Chadwick (OSU) is installed on a thick sheet flow at the Central Caldera site at the summit of Axial Seamount. A suite of CTD's is installed on the array to examine the hypothesis that subsurface brines are ejected into the water column during eruptions (e.g. in 2015). Credit: W. Chadwick, OSU; UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2212, V22.

A docking station is installed at the base of a Deep Profiler Mooring off teh R/V Thompson in 2018. Credit: M/ Elend, University of Washington.

A beautiful young chimney composed of anhydrite and fine-grained metal sulfide minerals sprouts from the side of the Escargot edifice, venting ~ 300°C fluids. A temperature - chlorinity instrument is installed in the orifice, with the growing chimney enclosing it. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V19.

A beautiful anydrite chimney sprouts from the base of the Castle edifice in the International District Hydrothermal Field at the summit of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2246; V22.

A frozen ball of lava with a bread crust rind at the summit of Axial Seamount. Small brittle stars call these rocks home. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2246; V22.

The digital still camera visited during the RCA 2022 expedition is covered in filamentous bacteria, thriving on diffuse flowing fluids. The camera is at the Tiny Towers vent site in the International District Hydrothermal Field. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2246, V22.

Small bubbles are emitted from the anhydrite - sulfide chimney 'Diva' in the International District Hydrothermal Field. The vent fluids are extremely enriched in carbon dioxide. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2210; V22.

This map shows the location of Regional Cabled Array infrastructure at the Slope Base site in 2022. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington.

Infrastructure for the Regional Cabled Array is shown on top of a bathymetric map of Southern Hydrate Ridge in 2022. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington.

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Looking down on a galatheid crab sitting on the rope attached to a marker next to the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water. A number of venus flytrap anemones are also attached to the hard surfaces here. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

This triangular object is a 3D temperature array: 4 stacked arrays with 24 independent temperature measurement points, providing a three-dimensional distribution of temperature flow across the seafloor at ASHES vent field on Axial Seamount. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2249, V22