Archive for March 2018

Highlights from Jason dives during Dive & Discover Expedition 16 to Brothers volcano. (Video courtesy of Anna-Louise Reysenbach, chief scientist, Portland State University; Funder, NSF; ROV Jason. ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

The Brothers volcano expedition has hoisted Jason out of the water and is bound for Auckland. As we did, a sense of relief settled in among both the science and the Jason teams.

For as long as we’ve explored the ocean, we’ve needed to know where we are.

After several difficult days of rough seas, which prevented us from getting Jason back in the water, we have returned to the seafloor of Brothers volcano.

Most life on Earth ultimately relies on energy that comes from the sun. Plants (and microbes) take that energy and use it to turn carbon dioxide into biomass.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of provisioning a ship at sea on a long voyage. Sailors over the centuries have endured hard work, raging storms, and tattered, lice-infested clothing, but few had patience for short rations or rotten food.

Each day I stand outside, look over the water and think to myself: Wow, I am so grateful to be part of this expedition—and isn’t it crazy to know that there is a big active volcano beneath my feet? Yes, it is. It is even more than that. It is so fascinating!

A potentially serious setback is facing the Brothers volcano team with the disappearance of the elevator, a device that is used to transport equipment to the seafloor.