Submarine Ring of Fire 2014 - Ironman

Submarine Ring of Fire 2014 - Ironman

Image and Video Gallery

This page contains photos and videos associated with the Submarine Ring of Fire 2014 - Ironman expedition. Click on any image or video to view a larger version and for additional information.

December 22 Log

December 22 Log

Cruise Summary - Back to Port.

December 20 Log

December 20 Log

Goldern Horn Chimney at Urashima Vent.

December 18 Log

December 18 Log

Dive at NW Rota.

December 16 Log

December 16 Log

The Limpets of NW Eifuku.

December 16 Log

December 16 Log

NW Eifuku: Final Dive.

Sulphur Pond at Daikoku

Sulphur Pond at Daikoku

A molten sulfur pond (five meters wide) churns in the bottom of a small crater at Daikoku.

Flatfish

Flatfish scurry over a sedimented slope near the sulfur pond at Daikoku (from 2006 expedition).

December 14 Log

December 14 Log

Daikoku Seamount – Erupting!

December 12 Log

December 12 Log

Weather Not Permitting.

Typhoon Animation

Typhoon Animation

Weather model animation showing Typhoon Hagupit passing south of Guam.

Zetaproteobacteria

Zetaproteobacteria

Iron Mats at NW Eifuku.

December 8 Log

NW Eifuku: The Paradox of the Mussel.

December 6 Log

NW Eifuku: First Dive.

December 4 Log

Ahyi Plumes

Using a CTD to detect plumes at Ahyi.

December 3 Log

No eruptive activity detected at NW Rota.

December 3 Log

Return to NW Rota.

Area Overview

Overview of project area and the remotely operated vehicle, Jason.

Snail Vent and Urashima

Snail Vent and Urashima

Footage from the dives at Snail Vent and Urashima.

December 2 Log

First sample recovery.

November 29 Log

November 29 Log

November 29 Log

November 29 Log

Departing Guam.

Mission Plan

The Champagne hydrothermal vent field.

Brimstone

Underwater volcanic eruption at Brimstone vent on NW Rota-1 was the first eruption ever witnessed.

Seamounts of the Mariana Arc

Seamounts of the Mariana Arc

Computer-generated fly-through movie showing seamounts that make up the Mariana volcanic arc.

Macrobiology

Despite the active eruptive activity nearby, two species of shrimp thrive on NW Rota-1.

Macrobiology

A dense community of chemosynthetic mussels lives around the Champagne vent field.

Microbiology

In some vent areas on NW Eifuku seamount, iron-oxidizing bacterial mat covers the seafloor.

Education

Overview of Marianas Trench National Marine Monument with educational lesson.

Cruise Summary

The R/V Revelle in port in Guam.

Deployment

The Jason ROV being deployed.

Control Room

The Jason control room during a dive.

Cruise Summary

The CTD being deployed over the side.

Browcam

Jason deploys a settling plate sampling device at one of the Urashima chimneys.

Scoop Sampler

The scoop sampler allows the microbiologists to collect bulk samples of microbial mat.

Biomat Sampler

The Bio-Mat sampler allows the scientists to gather just the top layer of the mat.

Slurp Sampler

The slurp sampler is used to collect bulk samples of microbial mat and larger organisms.

Marker

Sulfur deposits outcrop on a ridge at NW Rota near one of the markers that was left here in 2010.

Sulfur Crusts

A slope covered with sulfur crusts (and tiny Opaepele shrimp) near the formerly active eruptive vents.

Shrimp

A large Alvinocaris shrimp is surrounded by smaller Opaepele shrimp that are grazing on a sulfur-coated cliff face.

Limpets

Shinkailepas limpets at NW Rota were only in a small area, but have spread now that the volcano is inactive.

Settlement Plates

Settlement Plates

Settlement plates that were deployed on our first dive at NW Eifuku are recovered.

Shrimp Traps

Jason recovers two shrimp traps that were deployed during our first dive at NW Eifuku.

Champagne Vent

Settlement plates were also recovered from the Champagne Vent area.

Andesite Rock

A basaltic andesite rock at NW Eifuku is covered with Shinkailepas limpets and thousands of their tiny egg capsules.

Cross-Section

Cross-section over the top of Daikoku seamount with the results from a CTD tow (black line).

Bathymetric Comparison

Bathymetric Comparison

Bathymetric comparison of data collected at Daikoku summit on this 2014 expedition and in 2003.

Molten Sulfur

This pond of molten sulfur was discovered in 2006 roiling in the bottom of a small crater.

Flatfish

A new species of vent-endemic flatfish was previously discovered in 2006 living at Daikoku seamount.

Moby Dick

Moby Dick symbolizes the mysteries of the ocean.

Jacques Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau popularized oceanography for previous generations of oceanographers.

Scanning Electron Micrograph

Scanning Electron Micrograph

Scanning electron micrograph of a microbial iron mat.

Yellow Cone

Jason takes a sample of with the BioMat sampler at a location on NW Eifuku called Yellow Cone.

Microbial Mat

The Jason manipulator arms use a Scoop sampler to collect iron-oxidizing microbial mat at NW Eifuku.

Collecting Mussels

Collecting Mussels

The Jason manipulator arm uses a scoop bag to collect mussels at NW Eifuku.

Crawling

Squat lobsters, shrimp, and scaleworms crawl on mussels.

Liquid CO2

A droplet of liquid CO₂ rises from the seafloor in the Champagne vent field.

Dead Mussel

We scooped up a dead mussel; the meat was still intact but the shell was already mostly dissolved.

Sulfur Deposits

Sulfur Deposits

Shrimp crawl on sulfur deposits near Champagne vent and a rock outcrop covered by mussels.

Elevator Mooring

Elevator Mooring

The Elevator Mooring ready for deployment and located on the bottom by Jason.

Rocky Outcrops

Mussels on rocky outcrops while white squat lobsters roam nearby.

Diffuse Hydrothermal Vent

Diffuse Hydrothermal Vent

The Jason manipulator arm measures the temperature of a diffuse hydrothermal vent.

CTD Instrument Launched

CTD Instrument Launched

The CTD instrument package is launched to search for hydrothermal plumes at Ahyi seamount.

Instrumental Data

Instrumental Data

Joe Resing and Sharon Walker examine the instrumental data during a CTD tow.

Seafloor

Image of the Seafloor and midwater data during collection.

Ahyi Submarine Volcano

Ahyi Submarine Volcano

Three-dimensional image of the summit of Ahyi submarine volcano.

Multibeam Sonar

Multibeam Sonar

Susan Merle monitors the data collected by the ship’s Multibeam Sonar.

CTD Instrument Package

CTD Instrument Package

The CTD instrument package is lifted off the deck of the ship before it is lowered over the side on a cable.

Hydrophone Mooring

Hydrophone Mooring

A hydrophone mooring is deployed off the stern of the ship at NW Rota-1 seamount.

Chamorro Legend

Chamorro Legend

Malaguana and Gadao, two chiefs competing in a contest of strength in a Chamorro legend.

Saipan-da!

Snail Vent

Snails, crabs, shrimp, and anemonies compete for space at Snail Vent hydrothermal site.

Sulfide Chimneys

Sulfide Chimneys

Sulfide chimneys coated with iron-based microbial mat at the Urashima vent site.

Bio-mat Sampler

Bio-mat Sampler

While at the Urashima vent site, the Jason manipulator arm holds the Bio-mat Sampler.

Microbial Mat

Jason opens a valve at the top of one of the scoop samplers before taking a sample of microbial mat.

R/V Revelle in Guam

R/V Revelle in Guam

The R/V Revelle in Guam preparing to depart on the Submarine Ring of Fire 2014 Ironman mission.

First Dive

The Jason ROV is prepared for the first dive.

Bathymetric Map

Bathymetric Map

Bathymetric map of the Mariana Arc area showing the location of the two focus sites on the expedition.

Liquid CO2

The Champagne vent field at NW Eifuku seamount emits droplets of liquid CO₂.

NW Rota-1 Seamount

NW Rota-1 Seamount

NW Rota-1 seamount has been observed erupting explosively on previous visits.

Mariana Volcanic Arc

Mariana Volcanic Arc

The Mariana volcanic arc is a chain of underwater volcanoes (seamounts).

Pacific Plate

Geologic cross-section showing the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Philippine Plate at the Mariana Trench.

Ring of Fire

Map of the all the volcanoes around the Pacific (red triangles) making up the Ring of Fire.

Survival

These mussels, shrimp, and limpets living at NW EIfuku seamount depend on hydrothermal vents for survival.

NW Rota 2010 Landslide

NW Rota 2010 Landslide

NW Rota 2010 Landslide exposed surfaces coated with sulphur where shrimp and limpets congregate.

Low pH

Eifuku mussel bed in 2006 where pH can be as low as 5.3.

Iron-Oxide-Encrusted Microbial Mat

Iron-Oxide-Encrusted Microbial Mat

Iron-oxide-encrusted microbial mat at Yellow Top Vent, Northwest Eifuku.

Sheaths

Micrographs of samples of marine and freshwater sheaths inside microbial mats.

Venn Diagram

Venn diagram comparing OTU distribution various locations.