Person: Sean Sylva

Sean is a Research Associate at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. His research mainly focuses on novel approaches to measure the stable isotopes of light hydrocarbons found in hydrothermal vent fluids. On this cruise, he will be responsible for coordination and implementation of vent fluid sampling and chemical analysis. We will deploy … Continued

Log Post: Bringing the Seafloor into Focus

Nestled between Tonga and Fiji, the Lau Back-arc Basin is adjacent to the Tonga Trench – where the Pacific Plate is being driven under the Australian Plate.  This process, known as subduction, delivers oceanic crust, sediments and trapped water deep into the earth. The hydrothermal vent fields we are studying on this cruise are located … Continued

Log Post: Inside the Box: Bringing Vent Life to the Surface

Deep in the ocean, far removed from the sun, there is a wealth of biological diversity that exists at hydrothermal vents. As mentioned in Peter Girguis’s blog post, the animals that live in these habitats make a living through symbioses with microbes that live within their tissues. These microbes have unique metabolisms that enable them … Continued

Person: Leslie Reed

My role is to be physically present onboard the Falkor, creating artwork and collecting data for the team. I am capturing the experience digitally to document the transit, while using analog film to translate the unseen and often unpredictable forces of the sea. After the photos are captured, the roll of film is soaked in … Continued

Log Post: Welcome to the Vent Life Expedition

My name is Peter Girguis, and on behalf of the science party and the Schmidt Ocean Institute I welcome you to our expedition’s blog. We hope that you will join us throughout the entire expedition as we explore some of the most amazing animal and microbial communities that live in the deep sea, and aim … Continued

News: Virtual Reality Technology Reveals Underwater Vents in New Ways

Scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor have developed the first 3D model of an entire hydrothermal vent field for Virtual Reality, covering the largest area of seafloor ever imaged that way. SUVA, FIJI – After 13 days at sea, chief scientist Dr. Tom Kwasnitschka from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, along … Continued