Slope Base Image Gallery

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

This blue shark was the highlight of the Deep Profiler Dive at Slope as it moved in an out from in front of the ROV’s camera.Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; Dive J2-1367; V21.

This strange fish, Genioliparis ferox (Stein), was first described in 1978 from a single specimen and never seen afterwards. It was imaged at 2901 m at the Slope Base Site during ROPOS Dive R1757. G. ferox is a ferocious mid-water predator, with many sharp teeth. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; Dive R1757; V14.

The weird fish (Genioliparis ferox) first imaged in 2014 by ROPOS at the Slope Base site (2900 m) visits us again with the ROV Jason. It was first described in 1978 off Oregon(884 m) 2 from a single specimen and never seen afterwards. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

Mysterious fish prowling around the Slope Base CTD deployment site. Possibly the snailfish Genioliparis ferox. Photo Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V19.

Mysterious fish, either a rattail or a snailfish, prowling around the Slope Base CTD deployment site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V19.

The weird fish (Genioliparis ferox) explores inside the MJ01A junction box at 2900 m. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

The "weird fish" [Genioliparis ferox (Stein)] swims in front of the MJ01A junction box at Slope Base (2900 m). Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

The weird fish at 2900 m water depth at the Slope Base site, visits us almost every year. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V17.

A scate investigates Jason as it takes a push core at 2900 m water depth at Slope Base. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V21.

A 'Big Red' Jellyfish swims past Jason at the Slope Base site ~ 68 miles offshore. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI. V20.

A rattail fish (aka Grenadier) at the Slope Base site, with parasitic copepods attached to its back. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V19.

An octopus moves along the sedimented seafloor at the Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R2256, V22.

A squat lobster and venus flytraps cover a tripod at 2900 m at the Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V21.

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 squat lobster sitting atop a marker near the anchor of the Slope Base Shallow Profiler mooring. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, ROPOS Dive R2258, V22.

Bathydoris aioca, an unusually large (~30 cm) deep-sea nudibranch, was part of a unique community of invertebrates gathered around the anchor of the Slope Base profiler mooring in 2900 meters (~9500 feet) of water, also including flytrap anemones, galatheid crabs, and sea cucumbers. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R2258, V22

Pom Pom anemone at 2900 m water depth, Slope Base site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

A fringed sea cucumber next to the Slope Base junction box in 2019. Photo Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V19.

The refurbished medium power junction box, installed at Slope Base in 2021. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V21.

The Slope Base Shallow Profiler platform comes thought the A-frame on the Thompson. P. Correa, University of Washington, V22.

Recovery of the Shallow Profiler Vertical Mooring. Credit: K. Kato, University of Washington, V22.

The Shallow Profiler Platform at Slope Base surfaces. P. Correa, University of Washington, V22.

The 12 ft across platform on the Slope Base Shallow Profiler mooring is home to a variety of fauna, thriving in the nutrient-rich currents. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V20.

Launching Jason with the 2019 Slope Base shallow profiler pod docked underneath. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington.

The CTD-O2 sensor and fluorometer rise on a stand on the Shallow Profiler Mooring at Slope Base. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V20.

Anemones thrive on the Shallow Profiler mooring at Slope base. Credit: UW/NSF/OOI/WHOI; V21.

The Shallow Profiler Mooring Platform at Slope Base is home to a variety of macrofauna, including beautiful sea anemones. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

The Slope Base Deep Profiler Mooring comes aboard the R/V Thompson. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V21.

Jason moves into position to clean the Deep Profiler cable at Slope Base. The instrumented DP vehicle is in the background. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V20.

A deep-sea octopus (possibly a Muusoctopus), clinging to the leg of the medium power junction box MJ01A at Slope Base. It may be brooding eggs, and they can guard their eggs for over four years, longer than any known animal. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, ROPOS Dive R1751, V14.

During ROPOS Dive 1629 of the VISIONS'13 Expedition, a current meter (tripod with red legs) and pressure sensor (were powered up and tested using through the medium powered J-box MJ01A. The ROV ROPOS provided power and communications and the data were streamed live up to the R/V Thompson through ROPOS's fiber optic tether. Here , the water depth was 2900 m. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, V13.

An HPIES instrument deployed off the starboard side of the R/V Sikuliaq ~ 125 km offshore Newport Oregon near the base of the Subduction Zone at Slope Base. The instrument was released and free fell 2900 m to land softly on the seafloor - the extended legs insure a softer landing and that is stays nearly horizonatal as it travels through the water column. This instrument utilizes a bottom pressure sensor, an inverted echosounder and a horizontal electrometer to provide insights into the vertical structure of current fields, near-bottom water currents, and water properties including temperature, salinity, and specific volume anomalies. It was built at the Applied Physics Laboratory. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V16.

The Deep Profiler installed July 22, 2015 at the Slope Base site is caught profiling at a water depth of 2775 m beneath the ocean's surface on the mooring cable during ROPOS Dive R1855. Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; V15.