Mission Plan
Mission Plan

Education
Education

Overview
Overview

Technology
Technology

Serpentinization
Serpentinization

Chimney Formation
Chimney Formation

Sampling Technology
Sampling Technology

Microbial Habitat
Microbial Habitat

Fluid Chemistry
Fluid Chemistry

Macrofauna
Macrofauna

Explorers
Explorers

Transmission Signal Path

Diagram showing how video and data will be transmitted between the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown, via satellite and Internet 2, to the Inner Space Center at URI, the University of Washington, and other participating sites. Click image for larger view and image credit. (HR)

 

Carbonate spire

Space shot to our own planet: ROV Hercules approaches a ghostly, white, carbonate spire in the Lost City Hydrothermal Field, about 2500 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Click image for larger view and image credit.

The Lost City 2005

July 17 - August 4, 2005

camera icon Hercules Explores Lost City (Quicktime, 824 Kb)
camera icon Aurelia Jelly Fish undulates several meters above the seafloor (Quicktime, 720 Kb)
camera icon Beehive (Quicktime, 996 Kb)
camera icon Nature Tower (Quicktime, 1 Mb)
camera icon 12 meter chimney (Quicktime, 768 Kb)

Live pictures of the white chimneys of Lost City will travel from 2,100 feet below sealevel to the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown, across the Atlantic Ocean to the University of Rhode Island and then across the USA to scientists at University of Washington in Seattle. In less than 2 seconds live video will have traveled over 5,000 miles. With new technology, many scientists and students will be able to view and analyze data without being on a ship at sea. It is the introduction of a new methodology for marine fieldwork. On this expedition our underwater cameras will explore Lost City.

In 2000 a remarkable discovery occurred. Cruising over a large mountain west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge scientists using underwater cameras sighted strange 90 to 200 foot white towers. This was the discovery of a completely new kind of underwater hot spring environment unlike any seen before. We now call these springs the Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF). This expedition will explore LCHF 24-hours a day for 10 days using IFE's Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV's) Argus and Hercules and immediately transmitting that data to scientists on-shore.

 

Expedition updates from Immersion Presents:

Expedition updates from Jason:

What's this? Both Jason exit icon and Immersion Presents exit icon are covering various aspects of this expedition. We are using Really Simple Syndicatioin (RSS) to keep you informed of the latest news from these Web sites. By following the links above, you will be leaving the U.S. Government's NOAA Ocean Explorer Web site.

You can access the NOAA, Ocean Explorer Lost City 2005 News feed here: NOAA RSS 2.0 Feed

 

Updates & Logs
Click images or links below for detailed mission logs.

Mission Summary Mission Summary This 2005 expedition set a new benchmark in ocean exploration. Remarkable advances in technology allowed, for the first time, participation of an entire science party housed not on a research vessel, but instead in a Science Command Center located 4500 miles away.

July 31, 2005 Log July 31, 2005 As the ship prepares to leave the work site today, we again revisit some of the main, actively venting chimneys within the Lost City field. camera icon Includes videos.

July 30, 2005 Log July 30, 2005 As we near the end of the cruise, we realize what remarkable views of the field the coupling of Hercules and "the eye in the sky" Argus has provided us. camera icon Includes videos.

July 29, 2005 Log July 29, 2005 If you lost something in an area of 645,000 square feet how would you find it? Find out how scientists are searching for a missing water sampler.

July 28, 2005 Log July 28, 2005 camera icon Water sampling is a critical process to understanding the reactions taking place at Lost City. Learn about the different water samplers being used at Lost City.

July 27, 2005 Log July 27, 2005 As we explore the Lost City, we want to learn if the animals at Lost City are unique and if the composition of the animals' communities is driven by the harsh chemical conditions of the Lost City habitats. slide show icon Includes slide show and camera icon video.

July 26, 2005 Log July 26, 2005 camera icon How do the pilots know where Hercules is? Learn how the position of the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown and the IFE ROVs Argus, and Hercules are kept track.

July 25, 2005 Log July 25, 2005 camera icon Today we returned to the Lost City. We traveled around the main part of the field, stopping to acquire high-quality digital video and still images and to collect some samples of vent material, fluids, and a few animals.

July 24 PM, 2005 Log July 24 PM, 2005 camera icon Hercules has completed the first dive. Watch as Hercules collects a sample from the Western Massif.


July 24 AM, 2005 Log July 24 AM, 2005 camera icon Scientist watch as Hercules is prepared for its first science mission to the Western Massif.

July 23, 2005 Log July 23, 2005 The Ronald H. Brown arrived at the first study site. The first order of business was collect new bathymetric data of the dome-like mountain, referred to as the Western Massif.

July 22, 2005 Log July 22, 2005 The first exploration dive is planned for tomorrow. As the Ronald H. Brown cruises towards the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, technicians and scientists prepare for the first dive.

July 21, 2005 Log July 21, 2005 Today the team, our team of scientists, began to gather at the University of Washington. Get acquainted with them as they describe their hopes and goals for this expedition.

July 17, 2005 Log July 17, 2005 Follow our journey as NOAA's ship The Ronald H. Brown heads to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to explore the white chimneys of the hydrothermal vent field known as Lost City. slideshow icon Includes slide show.

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