Photo journal of our cruise to Puerto Rico with Schmidt Ocean Institute.
The main objectives of this cruise were to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by mesophotic and deep-sea corals and to determine physiological and ecological mechanisms driving ROS production. This expedition was in collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, and took place on R/V Falkor (too). Further information regarding the research can be found here.
R/V Falkor Too's side doors open to a stunning sunset over Desecheo as we get ready to collect our first samples of the cruise
Desecheo Island
The first CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) cast of the cruise to Desecho Ridge
Luke discusses eDNA sampling plans
Lena Taenzer and Scott Wankel testing SOLARIS on ROV SuBastian
ROV team prepares to launch the ROV SuBastian
SuBastian is lowered into the water
View of the many displays within the ROV control room. This is where we stream and watch the dives while taking in situ measurements and logging samples.
Biajani narrates the dive in spanish/spanglish during "Spanish Hour"
Jeremy Horowitz processes some charismatic coral vouchers from mesophotic depths to be curated at the National Museum of Natural History
More coral voucher specimens to be identified by Smithsonian scientists
Purple Muricea AKA beet juice or merlot coral
Brine shrimp hatchery - food for corals held in aquaria
Ophiuriod on a coral sample
The pace of the cruise quickly picked up. There wasn't much time to take action shots. Pictured is a subsample of an Asteroschema associate found on Paramuricea sp.
We were fortunate to have calm seas, and many glassy days like this
Luke McCartin collects eDNA water samples from SuBastian's niskin bottles
Luke gives a tour of the Oceanics-WHOI eDNA sampler. This sampler was developed by Adams, Govindarajan, and Yoeger (manuscript in prep) with support from OTZ and NOAA OECI.
Pumping the eDNA water sample across a filter to capture the eDNA from the water
Watching the sunrise after a diverse coral haul from 1700-1500m
Duct tape glamour shot
Front of ROV SuBastian, featuring the coral quivers and bio boxes where specimens are held while working on the seafloor.
The sun rises over Vieques
SuBastian prepares to dive again to 1600m
R/V Falkor (too), Schmidt Ocean Institute's newly refitted research vessel that we had the pleasure to sail on.
Thank you, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and all of R/V Falkor (too)'s crew for supporting our research!
Videos that were produced by Schmidt Ocean Institute during this cruise: