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This page contains video and images of the seafloor. Click on any image to view a video or larger version and for additional information.

Vertebrates: Fish / Skates and Eels / Sharks

Invertebrates: Sponges / Jellyfish, sea anemones / Corals / Sea stars, brittle stars, and sea urchins / Molluscs / Crabs and shrimp

Seafloor: Geologic features / Habitat / Bacterial Mats / Hydrates

camera icon Videos

See the orange bacterial mats of northwest Eifuku volcano. Around some of the seafloor hot springs at NW Eifuku volcano. See an extraordinary biological community of hydrothermal mussels at NW Eifuku volcano. The hydrothermal mussels at northwest Eifuku volcano Cliffhouse vent.

camera icon See the orange bacterial mats of NW Eifuku volcano.

camera icon Around some of the sea-floor hot springs at NW Eifuku volcano.

camera icon See an extraordinary biological community of hydrothermal mussels at NW Eifuku volcano.

camera icon The hydrothermal mussels at NW Eifuku volcano Cliffhouse vent.
The bubbles of the “Champagne” hydrothermal system. The central cone at East Diamante volcano found a remarkable zone where chemosynthesis and photosynthesis overlap. The "Aquarium" site at East Diamante volcano. "Five Towers" hydrothermal vent Video

camera icon The bubbles of the “Champagne” hydrothermal system.

camera icon The central cone at East Diamante volcano.

camera icon The "Aquarium" site at East Diamante volcano.

camera icon View the “5 Towers” hydrothermal vent.
See chimneys made of sulfide minerals at the Black Forest. Sea life around the hydrothermal vents at the East Diamante volcano. Video of amazing scene of billowing smoke rising from a small crater. The incredible vista of Brimstone Pit.

camera icon See chimneys made of sulfide minerals at the Black Forest.

camera icon Sea life around the hydrothermal vents at the East Diamante volcano.

camera icon Amazing scene of billowing smoke rising from a small crater.

camera icon The incredible vista of Brimstone Pit.
A common seafloor feature in the study area was an occasional dune or hill. A example of a vertical wall capped by a thin layer of manganese phosphorite rock. An example of vertical topography at Sponge Cliff. A hard layer of manganese phosphorite pavement a common type of sea floor in the Estuaries to the Abyss.

camera icon A common seafloor feature in the study area was an occasional dune or hill.

camera icon A example of a vertical wall capped by a thin layer of manganese phosphorite rock.

camera icon An example of vertical topography at Sponge Cliff.

camera icon A hard layer of manganese phosphorite pavement a common type of sea floor in the Estuaries to the Abyss.
Video of (Bathynectes longspina) crabs The extraordinary biological diversity of the Gulf of Mexico. Characterizing Davidson Seamount Video of deep-sea life on the Galapagos Rift.

camera icon Bathynectes longspina crabs are frequently seen on the coral mounds.

camera icon The extraordinary biological diversity of the Gulf of Mexico.

camera icon Using rocks to charcterize Davidson Seamount.

camera icon Video of deep-sea life on the Galapagos Rift.
lophelia banks video Under ice morphology

camera icon Monitor underwater footage

camera icon Monitor turret video

camera icon The beautiful and complex habitat of the Lophelia coral banks.

camera icon Ice morphology.
Video of ascent up Oceanographer Canyon

camera icon Ascent up the wall of Oceanographer Canyon

camera icon Reef balls
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Images

Geologic Features
White smokers at the Champagne Vent Site. White chimneys at Champagne vent site, NW Eifuku volcano. Close-up of bubbles at the Champagne vent site. The steep slope of the East Diamante volcano is seen in this image from the upper left to the lower right-hand side.

White smokers at the Champagne Vent Site. (HR)

White chimneys at Champagne vent site, NW Eifuku volcano. (HR)

Close-up of bubbles at the Champagne Vent site. (HR)

The steep slope of the East Diamante volcano is seen in this image from the upper left to the lower right-hand side. (HR)
A piece of one of the chimney spires, cut in half and lined by a copper-rich mineral, called chalcopyrite. Three small (~30 cm tall) actively venting spires sitting on top of one of the chimneys in the Black Forest vent field. This is a small, ice cream cone-shaped chimney located near the base of Five Towers. Active “smoker” chimneys precipitating iron, copper and zinc sulfides from 230ºC fluid.

A piece of one of the chimney spires, cut in half and lined by a copper-rich mineral called chalcopyrite. (HR)

Three small (~30 cm tall) actively venting spires sit atop one of the chimneys in the Black Forest vent field. (HR)

This small, ice- cream-cone-shaped chimney is located near the base of Five Towers.

Active “smoker” chimneys precipitating iron, copper and zinc sulfides from 230ºC fluid. (HR)
Interlayered basaltic (dark) and felsic (light) ash layers in the east wall of West Rota caldera. A contact between the lower basaltic and upper felsic ash units in the wall of the West Rota caldera. Columnar jointing in pumice boulder on the top of West Rota volcano. Sulfur and ash totally obscuring the outcrop from our view

Interlayered basaltic (dark) and felsic (light) ash layers in the east wall of West Rota caldera. (HR)

A contact point between the lower basaltic and upper felsic ash units in the wall of the West Rota caldera. (HR)

Columnar jointing in a pumice boulder on the top of West Rota volcano. (HR)

Sulfur and ash totally obscure the outcrop from our view.
Sulfur balls littering the seafloor near Brimstone Pit. Giant smoky plume discovered near the summit of NW Rota 1 volcano. A hydrothermal vent site near the summit of the NW Rota volcano

Sulfur balls litter the sea floor near Brimstone Pit. (HR)

Giant smoky plume discovered near the summit of NW Rota 1 volcano. (HR)

A hydrothermal vent site near the summit of NW Rota 1 volcano.
Rock from southeastern slope of the Cape Fear Diapir. A mud chimney encountered during Dive 3914. Authigenic carbonate rock collected on the Blake Ridge Diapir Various rocks collected during the Charleston Bump Expedition

Rock from southeastern slope of the Cape Fear Diapir.

A mud chimney encountered during Dive 3914.

Authigenic carbonate rock collected on the Blake Ridge Diapir.

Various rocks collected during the Charleston Bump expedition.
Large table-sized slabs of rock Vertical cliffs with alternating layers of carbonate rock Manganese-phosphorite rock collected with the submersible from more than 1800 ft Basalt blocks at the base of one of the spires of Alderdice Bank with a trumpetfish in the foreground.

Large, table-sized slabs of rock.

Vertical cliffs with alternating layers of carbonate rock.

Manganese- phosphorite rock collected by the submersible at 1,827 ft depth.

Alderdice Bank Basalt blocks at the base of a spires with a trumpetfish in the foreground. (HR)
Alderdice Bank basalt spire. A 80 million year old basalt rock Comparing volcanic rocks to terrestrial rocks Basalt "columns"

Alderdice Bank basalt spire. (HR)

This is a piece of 80 million year old basalt rock collected from the base of Alderdice Bank. (HR)

Comparing volcanic rocks to terrestrial rocks.

Basalt "columns".
Fractured pillow basalts Lava tubes Active chimneys on ridgetop. Sulfide mound Magic Mountain.

Fractured pillow basalts.

Lava tubes.

Active chimneys on ridgetop. (HR)

Sulfide mound Magic Mountain. (HR)
Active chimneys on ridgetop. Pillow lavas on ancient seafloor. Sulfide chimney piece from Mystic Mound, Explorer Ridge. Metallic sulfide ore sample.

Active chimneys on ridgetop. (HR)

Pillow lavas on ancient seafloor. (HR)

Sulfide chimney piece from Mystic Mound, Explorer Ridge. (HR)

Metallic sulfide ore sample. (HR)
Chimney sample embedded with "fossilized" tubeworms. The top of a huge chimney with marker 72. Hot fluid sampling at a black smoker vent. Buccionid whelks and other invertebrates.

Chimney sample embedded with "fossilized" tubeworms. (HR)

The top of a huge chimney with marker 72. (HR)

Hot fluid sampling at a black smoker vent. (HR)

Buccionid whelks and other invertebrates. (HR)
Water spewing from "Cleopatra's Needle." Two anhydrite and sulfide chimneys at Majestique vent field. Anhydrite and sulfide chimney at Majestique vent field. Tubeworms covering a chimney named Zooarium.

Water spewing from "Cleopatra's Needle." (HR)

Two chimneys at Majestique vent field. (HR)

Anhydrite and sulfide chimney at Majestique vent field. (HR)

Tubeworms covering a chimney named Zooarium. (HR)
Zooarium chimney. Pillow lavas and breccia. The ROPOS claw positioning a bacteria trap. Sampling an inactive chimney.

Zooarium chimney. (HR)

Pillow lavas and breccia. (HR)

The ROPOS claw positioning a bacteria trap. (HR)

Sampling an inactive chimney. (HR)
a rock is photographed with a scale. A large “live rock” collected by the Johnson-Sea-Link II. Atlantis Wreckfish and rocky outcrop

Each rock is photographed with a scale before the invertebrates are removed from it.

A large “live rock” collected by the Johnson-Sea-Link II.

Atlantis

Wreckfish and rocky outcrop
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Wreckfish swimming around cave Artist M.J. Brooks' sketches at Deep East Muddy sediment banks Savannah Scarp rock sample

Wreckfish around cave

Artist M.J. Brooks' sketches

 Muddy sediment banks Savannah Scarp rock sample
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"Hoagie" Sowpen rock Phosphorite pavement rock Trying to grab a rock
Savannah Scarp rock sample Savannah Scarp rock sample

Phosphorite pavement

Trying to grab a rock
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seafloor community Effect of bottom trawling Abyssal sea floor near the Hudson Canyon

Seafloor community

Effect of bottom trawling

Abyssal sea floor
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Habitat
The top of one of the central domes in Maug caldera A pinnacle rises to 167 meters below the surface. Stunning image of Aquarium site.

April 9
The top of one of the central domes in Maug caldera. (HR)

April 5
A pinnacle rises to 167 meters below the surface. (HR)

April 5
Stunning image of the Aquarium site. (HR)
distribution of clam patches on the seafloor A field of mussels and the bucket of rabbit chow The sea bottom beneath the Gulf Stream is highly varied. This rock is a good example of how the tasty sponges, bryozoans and tunicates are absent from the exposed surface, but dominate on the sheltered side.

Distribution of clam patches on the seafloor.

A field of mussels and the bucket of rabbit chow.

The sea bottom beneath the Gulf Stream is highly varied.

Sponges such as bryozoans and tunicates are absent from the exposed surface, yet dominate on the sheltered side. (HR)
Charleston Bump food chain Simplified flow diagram showing the flow of energy, as food, through an idealized coral reef model A photograph of the mysterious basalt outcrop on Alderdice Bank A picture of authigenic carbonate ridges

Charleston Bump food chain

A Diagram showing the flow of energy, as food, through an idealized coral reef model.

A photograph of the mysterious basalt outcrop on Alderdice Bank.

A picture of authigenic carbonate ridges.
Thick clouds of fish around one of the basalt spires at Alderdice Bank A coral and sponge garden Over 200 species of coral reef fish occur in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico Deep Reef Fish Diversity Legend

Thick clouds of fish around one of the basalt spires at Alderdice Bank.

A coral and sponge garden

Over 200 species of coral reef fish occur in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Deep Reef Fish Diversity Legend.
Marine invertebrates in the deepwater habitat. Brittlestars The shallow pinnacles at Cordell Bank Large pink sea fan

Marine invertebrates in the deepwater habitat. (HR)

Brittlestars often aggregate on the soft substrate.

The shallow pinnacles at Cordell Bank.

Large pink sea fan
sorting through sargassum collected during a neuston net tow.

Fish over wreck site

turret underwater

Manta swimming over wreck

Sorting through sargassum collected during a neuston net tow.
A closeup of a small mass of sargassum weed. Sargassum samples being sifted through. Lines of sargassum Amalgam of amphipods.

A closeup of a small mass of sargassum weed.

Sargassum samples being sifted through.

Lines of sargassum can stretch for miles along the surface.

Amalgam of amphipods.
Elephant Island. Huge tabular icebergs

Elephant Island.

Tabular icebergs. (HR)

Bottom of an ice floe.

Bottom of ice floe.
Underwater ice morphology. A channel of water between ice keels. Artificial reef structures Speckled hind entering a reef ball

Underwater ice morphology.

A channel of water between ice keels. (HR)

Artificial reef structures

Speckled hind entering a reef ball


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Marine Plants
Seaweeds are pressed on herbarium sheets for further study and repository in botanical Herbaria preserving a specimen in silicagel for molecular examination Deepwater seaweeds freshly collected A herbarium sheet with red algae

Seaweeds are pressed on herbarium sheets for further study. (HR)

Preserving a specimen in silicagel for molecular examination. (HR)

Deepwater seaweeds freshly collected. (HR)

A herbarium sheet with red algae. (HR)
Many seaweeds look superficially similar Seaweeds that show diagnostic morphological features are viewed with light microscopy

Many seaweeds look superficially similar. (HR)

Diagnostic morphological features are viewed with light microscopy. (HR)
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Bacterial Mats
Thick covering of yellow and orange microbial mats as seen at the Yellow Top diffuse flow venting site. These microbial mats are similar in composition to those as seen at the Yellow Top Vent site. Yellow and orange microbial mats forming “bioreactor” mound with a thin crust and small chimneys on top. Large amounts of biomass feeding on white flocculent mats

April 12
The fluffy yellow and orange microbial mats seen at the Yellow Top venting site. (HR)

April 12
These microbial mats are similar in composition to those seen at the Yellow Top Vent site. (HR)

April 12
Yellow and orange microbial mats form a “bioreactor” mound with a thin crust and small chimneys on top. (HR)

April 12
Large amounts of biomass feed on white flocculent mats. (HR)
Patches of encrusting red and green algae lie beneath filamentous bacterial mats on rock surfaces. Chemosynthetic microbial mats cover red algae and coral (which are photosynthetic). bacterial mat at Blake Ridge Diapir Orange bacterial mat

April 8
Patches of encrusting red and green algae lie beneath filamentous bacterial mats on rock surfaces. (HR)

April 5
Chemosynthetic microbial mats cover red algae and coral, which are photosynthetic. (HR)

Bacterial mat at Blake Ridge Diapir.

Orange bacterial mat
Bacterial mat Beggiatoa bacterial mat

Beggiatoa bacterial mat

Bacterial mat

Bacterial mat near methane seep
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Hydrates
Outcrop of white gas hydrate Shrimp crawling over a gas hydrate Marine worms in gas hydrate

Outcrop of white gas hydrate

Shrimp crawling over a gas hydrate

Marine worms in gas hydrate



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