Photo journal of cruise AT50-21: Monitoring hydrothermal fluid origin, crustal permeability and seafloor morphology. This cruise was a collaborative effort between Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lehigh University, CNRS Univ Brest, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
This cruise was the third in the series funded by the National Science Foundation where we used a combination of AUV Sentry, ASV Wave Glider, and HOV Alvin to collect data that will help us predict when the next eruption at EPR 9' 50ºN will occur. Data will be used to analyze trends in fluid exit temperatures and chemistry and will ultimately help us better understand the relationship between magma resupply and hydrothermal fluid flow to inform future research across mid-ocean ridges. As a result of using these three National Deep Submergence Facility vehicles, we discovered five new vent fields. You can read more about our discoveries in this press release.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this cruise series and to have collaborated with so many inspiring scientists. Each cruise has been a rich learning experience for me, from being fully immersed in this unique ecosystem to conducting hand-on research alongside those I admire. These experiences have been invaluable and have laid the foundation for my success as a field-going deep-sea biologist. I am truly thankful for the knowledge, support, camaraderie, and many laughs shared among my colleagues during our time at sea. I hope to sail with this group again!
4K highlight video from our cruise edited by Mae Lubetkin.
View from R/V Atlantis in Golfito, Costa Rica as we mobilize for our cruise.
Departure from beautiful Golfito.
Milan gets ready to process her first CTD eDNA samples.
Kelden processes her water samples as the sun rises.
Kelden waits for the "Observers!" call so that she may climb down in Alvin's sphere for the first science dive of the cruise.
Pausing for a photo in HOV Alvin with Dr. Jill McDermott at 2300m below the sea surface.
Alvin's expedition leader watches as it is lowered into the water.
Sam looks for small animals from one of the Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) recovered from Tica.
Dan removes MISO cameras from Alvin after a dive.
Jess and I after our Alvin dive together to Tica (This was her first dive!).
Jyun-Nai and Thibaut after their exploratory Alvin dive.
Dan and Denali recover lava samples from the newly discovered vent fields.
Alvin readies for its car wash after the last dive of the cruise.
Atlantis crew (some not pictured), vehicle teams, and science party of AT 50-21.
Thank you to all AT50-21 Atlantis, Alvin, and Sentry Crew!!!