Search Results for CTD
The deep sea is a hostile environment to most life. There is little by the way of food or other resources. To make matters worse, no light reaches the depths of the oceans. Amidst this darkness exist hot spots of chemical activity in the ocean bed known as hydrothermal vents, fertilizing the oceans with chemicals … Continued
Hello everyone! My name is Charlotte Kollman and I am a graduate student in the Groundwater Discharge Measurement Facility at Coastal Carolina University. I am currently aboard the R/V Falkor in the Gulf of California with scientists from several different institutions, all with the shared goal of exploring the biological mysteries that abound here. The … Continued
After a very long and unanticipated delay, we are underway and headed towards the Guaymas Basin, located in middle of the Gulf of California. The Gulf of California, one of the most intriguing places I have worked, is home to deeply interesting and fascinating seafloor habitats. In this actively rifting, young ocean basin, the East … Continued
Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but exists at far lower concentrations in the atmosphere. Many think of methane as a free-floating gas so it can be a surprise to learn that nearly one-fifth of the Earth’s methane is stored beneath the ocean’s waters in marine sediments in the form of gas hydrate.
This expedition will feature exploration of the Emperor Seamount Chain while researching biodiversity and its drivers. Using currents, mapping, and radio isotopes to track water masses – as well as genetic sampling of corals – the team will determine the driving force behind coral distribution in this region.
The deep sea is home to a variety of understudied, otherworldly ecosystems that are in need of human understanding if they are to have any protection from encroaching deep sea fishing and mining activities.
As we steam towards San Francisco in rough seas, I am reminded how lucky we have been during our time on the Falkor with the weather, never losing any days to poor weather. Falkor really is the luck dragon! I have been at sea now for 27 days, and during this time we have deployed an … Continued
The Earth’s flow of energy – from animals, to plants, to microbes – is dictated by electron transfers: that is, moving electrons from one molecule or element to another in order to gain energy. These types of reactions have dictated the evolution of life on Earth. Photosynthesis is perhaps the most familiar such reaction, where … Continued
In the hustle that often characterizes the two in-port days before a cruise, it is easy to get lost in the details. Together with my co-chief scientist on this cruise, Dr. Anna Michel, our focus on these details has spanned more than two years of planning, scheming, designing, building, redesigning, rebuilding, testing, ordering, and packing. … Continued
On our last night at sea, I spread my artwork across the two long tables in the library. In a few minutes, members of the science party and crew will file into the room to browse through my work and ask questions about my creative process. I am excited for the opportunity to explain why … Continued
