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What does it take to measure iron in the ocean? The science crew of the R/V Falkor are intimately familiar with this question. The concentrations of iron at Loihi seamount are quite high for ocean water, but in actuality, they are extremely low –equating to a drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool! However, … Continued

Moving a laboratory onto a ship is no small feat. Multiple days are required just to transfer gear from shore to ship. It’s somewhat similar to moving from your own home to a dormitory, where more people share smaller spaces. On top of that, your schedule is always different, often times working in the evenings … Continued

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

Join me, Dana Yoerger on my first  journey aboard R/VFalkor to Loihi Seamount. With over 70 oceanographic expeditions under my belt, I still get excited for the unknown adventure that awaits mapping underwater seamounts and volcanoes, who knows what discovery is just around the corner. July 1st, 2014 We had a good dive with Sentry … Continued

Last evening Falkor made the turn around South Point, Hawaii Island, and a couple hours later we arrived at Loihi Seamount.  This is my fifth expedition to Loihi, and a trip that I have been looking forward to for many years. This cruise is especially exciting because we are focusing on the unexplored reaches of … Continued

After spending a day off shore and calibrating all the equipment, we are off to our destination! It will take approximately 15 hours to transit to the south east corner of Hawaii Island to Loihi Seamount. Since the remainder of the cruise will focus on what we find at the world’s largest underwater volcano, let’s … Continued

Our capabilities for exploring the seafloor have undergone a revolution in the last few decades. Depending on the scientific problem we need to solve, we can image from the ship and see large-scale features like mountains, or get very close to the seafloor in a submersible or remotely operated vehicle, and see tiny animals up … Continued

When you think about the amount of preparation needed for a cruise, the whole thing can make you exhausted. Months of planning, timelines, securing equipment and tools needed for the excursion, and science preparation, all play an important part of getting ready. . Checking and double checking is a critical piece of this preparation, as … Continued