Escanaba Trough Expedition Introduction

Embarking on a three-week deep-sea research expedition requires a lot of preparation. For this expedition to Escanaba Trough, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners spend the first few days in port, building their laboratory space aboard the Research Vessel Thomas G. Thompson. Almost everything the scientists need to collect samples and conduct their research must be transported onto the ship with them.

The science team and ship crew will spend the next three weeks at Escanaba Trough, 200 miles offshore. They’ll collect sediment samples in gravity cores. They’ll measure water conductivity, temperature, and depth. Using a remotely-operated robot, they’ll collect photos, videos, and biological and geological samples from the seafloor along Escanaba Trough. They’ll also use an autonomous underwater vehicle to map seafloor features in Escanaba Trough and search for electric and magnetic traces of hydrothermal systems.

Their goal is to improve our understanding of hydrothermal systems as they change over time, as well as the geological and biological characteristics of these deep-sea environments.