Images by Maris Wicks; text with the assistance of Eric Mittelstaedt, University of Idaho
Here’s a look back at our arrival on the ship and our first week of science.
Well, it didn’t take long. Just a few hours after arriving on deck from our first Alvin dive, one of the glassy fragments of basalt went “POP!” right on the sample table. Read More→
When you take your first dive in Alvin, one thing is certain: no matter what you see or what you find, you’ll be welcomed back on Atlantis with a bucket (or two) of seawater that has been kept in the ship’s refrigerator just for your return. Even, as Mark Kurz discovered, if you’re the Chief Scientist. (Photos by Maris Wicks; click to enlarge)
The journey from Barbados to the location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where popping rocks were once found takes approximately 4 days. During that time, we’ve got data to collect and record! Here’s what we’re looking for and why, as well as the devices that are used to collect that data. Read More→
Welcome aboard R/V Atlantis! Read More→
We will be using the research vessel Atlantis, the submersible Alvin, and the autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry, to find and collect samples of “popping rocks”—basaltic seafloor lavas that contain large amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases trapped in high-pressure bubbles that pop when the rocks are brought to the surface. We intend to use these rocks to understanding the composition and origin of gases in the deep earth. This project began with an expedition in 2016 that was cut short due to mechanical problems. You can still see blog posts from the first trip here, and we will continue adding to them during the 2018 expedition.