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We know that Loihi Seamount is affected by hydrothermal activity that can lead to giant plumes of rusty flecks in the water column and at the seafloor. Those marine particles form when hydrothermal iron is oxidized either by microorganisms (the “iron eaters” that poop rust) or by small amounts of oxygen dissolved in the deep … Continued

Yesterday found me standing on the aft deck of Falkor, gripping a rope to hold the swinging CTD rosette steady as we lowered it over the side and into the ocean.

Do shallow arc volcanoes supply iron to phytoplankton in the open ocean? Scientific research on a moving ship is a real challenge. We have to perform precise sampling and chemical analyses, all while adapting to a rolling ship. On this expedition, we are using two separate and specialized CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) systems – one … Continued

Today was a good day. Even before our 7:00 am kick-off meeting on the Bridge, Leighton, Nathan and Jimbo from the Falkor together with Ko-ichi and James from our science team had been up and busy on the back deck readying the CTD for deployment. After a quick polishing of the optical sensors (I like … Continued

While mapping the gaps in existing high-resolution bathymetry around the Phoenix Islands Protected Area is the primary scientific objective on this transit from Hawaii to Fiji, R/V Falkor remains abuzz with other scientific activity. In preparation for Falkor’s next cruise in Fiji, Carson Witte, a PhD student in Ocean and Climate Physics at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, has been … Continued

Another day (or night), another hydrocast. As I watch the wire disappear into the ocean, I recall K.O. Emery’s preface to his classic 1960 book The Sea Off Southern California,“An oceanographer’s view of the ocean”. Emery pointed out that the surface of the open ocean looks the same no matter where you are, unyielding the … Continued

When I step out of the van, I set my bags down on the pavement and look up at the R/V Falkor for the first time. Compared to the massive cargo ships at port it is small, but the research vessel appears huge to me. I can’t help but feel nervous. While I have a … Continued

The members of the second student cruise met the small boat Atreyu at the University of Hawaii’s Snug Harbor facility on a gray Easter afternoon.