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Robots, rare gases, tests with hydrochloric acid, and more – check out the second #HuntingBubbles weekly update video for in-depth explanations to the many facets being studied on this expedition. There is so much more to this expedition than “just” looking at bubbles, rocks, and fish: these are fascinating systems weaving together in an amazingly … Continued

ROV SuBastian has been examining a selection of the hundreds of methane seeps recently discovered on the U.S. Pacific Northwest margin north of the Mendocino Fracture Zone with a collaborating team of geologists, geophysicists, biochemists, and benthic ecologists. Join us for a quick look at some of the spectacular scenes from the start of this … Continued

The WaterWord: Bathymetry Definition: Just as the land above the water has its highs and lows, so too does the land beneath the ocean’s surface. Those features are known as bathymetry. Etymology: Bathymetric comes from two Greek words: bathys, meaning “deep,” and metrike, meaning “to measure.” Use/Significance in the Earth Science Community: Bathymetry is an important aspect of marine … Continued

Setting sail on the R/V Falkor a few weeks ago to explore unknown features in the Pacific Ocean led us to consider the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which overwintered in Astoria, Oregon in 1805 after crossing the continent and leaving markers and waypoints for those who would follow them. During the #HuntingBubbles cruise we have … Continued

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

“I never intended to be studying these cold seeps, but then I found the anomaly.” With those words, Oregon State University/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist Tamara Baumberger sets herself apart from the rest of our research crew here on R/V Falkor. Whereas most of us have been looking at methane seeps and the benthic … Continued

The WaterWord: Methanotroph Definition: Wrapping up our fourth and final methane-based EarthWord for this cruise! We’ve spent the last several EarthWords talking about what makes the methane and how it gets into the environment, so now let’s talk about what eats the methane: methanotrophs. Also called methanophiles (methane lovers), these microbes can be either bacteria or … Continued

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