Baseline Exploration – Video Update

“Our goal is to learn about the different types of animal and microbial communities that occur off Southern California. We’re actually in exploration mode: many of these areas have not been visited or studied before. Some of them have not even been mapped accurately.” Take a behind-the-scenes look into the #BiodiverseSCB expedition in this video.

WaterWords of the Day: Authigenic

The WaterWord: Authigenic Definition: Although some people are born with a wanderlust, wanting to travel all over, some seem to be ready made homebodies. And rocks that are authigenic are the homebodies of geology. Authigenic means that rock formed where it is currently located. That’s in contrast to rocks that form from materials that were … Continued

WaterWords of the Day: Methanogenesis

The WaterWord: Methanogenesis Definition: Anytime you see the word “genesis,” you’re looking at the beginning of something, and methanogenesis is no exception. It refers to the creation of methane by a specific set of microbes (microscopic organisms) that produce methane as a byproduct of digesting their food. Etymology: Methane comes from the French word methylene, itself made … Continued

Source of the Seeps

Seven days have gone past since we set sail from Astoria, and every day we have looked at these methane seeps. Bubbles, nosy sablefish, half-buried clams, and colorful corals have dominated our ROV feeds from SuBastian. But in this log, I would like to shed a little light on a different aspect of all of … Continued

WaterWord of the Day: Methane Seep

The WaterWord: Methane Seep Definition: Ever see a movie set at the bottom of the sea, and notice occasional streams of bubbles coming up from the seafloor? That’s what a methane seep is: A point where methane (a gas) escapes from the rock into the ocean above it. It is one of several types of … Continued