Romina Centurion's Blogs Leg 4
Monday, July 30, 2018
I’m very thankful to Deb and Orest for let me participate in this cruise. It is a life changing experience!
Inferno Hydrothermal Vent, 2018 Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, V18.
Photo of the recovered undervator, with ROV Jason, and Res Tech Josh Manger in the background. Credit: R. Centurion, University of Washington, V18
August 1, 2018
The last dive…
Today was the last dive for JASON. Everything was perfect and now all the instruments are working very well on the Submarine Fiber-Optic Cabled Observatory. Engineers and scientists have done an amazing job along the UW-NSF-OOI VISIONS'18 Cabled Array expedition for the last 6 weeks. Now it is time to go back home.
As a marine biologist being able to see the diversity of life in extreme conditions has been a very inspiring experience to me. I would love to study the Hydrothermal Vent Biological Communities and maybe come back next year!
July 30, 2018
Today JASON was in a rescue mission. JASON needed to find an “undervator”, which is a basket used to take equipment and tools to the seafloor. The undervator contained valuable instruments and was abandoned last year because there were some problems with the winch. After 6 hs diving JASON finally found the undervator! Amazing job!
July 28 & 29, 2018
The last two days and after two long dives JASON finally installed a new plume imaging sonar in the ASHES hydro- thermal field. Also, a temperature survey was completed at Inferno and Mushroom vents.
July 27, 2018
A tour for the ASHES hydrothermal vent field! I have only had the chance to watch the hydrothermal vents in documentaries and books. I can’t believe being here and have the opportunity to watch them in real time! I’m very thankful to Deb and Orest for let me participate in this cruise. It is a life changing experience!
July 26, 2018
We arrived early in the morning to the Axial Seamount. JASON is replacing an old deep profiler for a new one. After that another CTD cast is deployed to verify the instrument data.
Jul 25, 2018
A CTD was deployed to verify the data of the instruments. We spent the day doing titration to determine oxygen concentrations. And for chlorophyll analyses we filtered the water samples in a dark room. Now all the samples are ready for posterior analyses back to the lab in Seattle. Thanks a lot Julie for teaching us how to do the procedures in the lab!
July 24, 2018
Today a new Deep Profiler was deployed at 2900 m! Amazing job from engineers!
July 23, 2018
A second plankton tows was conducted today and the samples looked different from the first tows.
Also, a CTD cast was conducted for verification of instruments. We have learned how to take subsamples for measurements of CO2, Salinity, O2 and nutrients.
July 22, 2018
Today a new Deep Profiler System was deployed to collect oceanographic data profiles of chemistry, temperature, and other oceanographic properties in water depths. It was a very hard work during hours. Watch the video!
ROV is in the water again to complete the Deep Profiler System Mooring. During the dive a curious shark appeared and also a big yellow jelly.
July 21, 2018
Today we are finally at sea! It was pretty exciting to start working at the Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle) control Van as a logger entering event descriptions. Inside the van there are multiple screens for each Jason’s camera and for ship position. Engineers and scientists have a very meticulous job controlling the ROV. The first ROV mission was recovery a of the Deep Profiler Moorings at the Endurance Offshore site.
