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The Southtow Expedition, on board Scripps Institution of Oceanography's R/V Thomas Washington in 1972, found clues leading to the discovery of hydrothermal vents at the Galápagos Rift. (Photo courtesy of Scripps Institution of Oceanography) |
In search of more evidence—Southtow
The trail began in 1972 when scientists returned to the Galápagos Rift aboard Scripps’ R/V Thomas Washington. The expedition, called Southtow, was part of the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE). All the research cruises that led to the discovery of hydrothermal vents were funded by the IDOE.
Scientists on the Southtow expedition detected several signs of hydrothermal circulation in seafloor crust, including:
• curious seafloor mounds
• slightly elevated water temperatures above the seafloor
• intriguing patterns of heat flowing through seafloor sediments
• micro-earthquakes below the seafloor
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