InSite08 Mapping Cruise
The primary purpose of this cruise was to map the seafloor in two areas of high scientific interest within the National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative.
One area is near Hydrate Ridge, just off the central Oregon coast due west of Newport, Oregon, and the other area of interest is near Axial Volcano, about 250 miles offshore of Newport.
Instruments at these sites will connect to the network's undersea cable via nodes. These large, heavy, and delicate power and communication stations are designed to last 25 years on the seafloor. Placing nodes in protected locations is very important. Finding a protected location at the edge of a large tectonic plate that is plunging beneath North America requires careful detailed mapping and an in-depth understanding of the seafloor geology.
John Delaney, who was Chief Scientist on InSite08, and Deborah Kelley, Co-Chief Scientist, led the team that successfully determined the optimal locations for these nodes that will populate the Hydrate Ridge and Axial Volcano study sites.