The deep sea hosts minerals that contain high quantities of elements that are valuable for human societies. Countries around the world are preparing to develop extractive practices for deep-sea minerals, and baseline biological data are needed to further assess the life that may dwell on or around minerals in different benthic environments. To examine the trade-offs associated with any potential mineral extraction, Drs. Lisa Levin, Paul Jensen, and Greg Rouse from Scripps and Kira Mizell from the US Geological Survey will venture to the Southern California Borderland (SCB) to investigate several sites where marine minerals are known or expected to occur and assess the biological communities living amongst the mineral substrates. The team’s goal is to establish mineral and biological baselines, examine conditions that may influence biodiversity and inspect the therapeutic potential of deep-sea microbes affiliated with mineral-rich areas. The knowledge gained from this expedition will inform policy, management, and stewardship of the deep sea off southern California.

ROV Dive 440 – Hancock Bank – Part 1
Date: July 26, 2021
Location: Hancock Bank in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 600 meters
Work Completed: Investigating sites where marine minerals are known or expected to occur and assess the biological communities living amongst the mineral substrates. The team’s goal is to establish mineral and biological baselines, examine conditions that may influence biodiversity and inspect the therapeutic potential of deep-sea microbes affiliated with mineral-rich areas.

ROV Dive 440 – Hancock Bank – Part 2
Date: July 26, 2021
Location: Hancock Bank in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 600 meters
Work Completed: Investigating sites where marine minerals are known or expected to occur and assess the biological communities living amongst the mineral substrates. The team’s goal is to establish mineral and biological baselines, examine conditions that may influence biodiversity and inspect the therapeutic potential of deep-sea microbes affiliated with mineral-rich areas.

ROV Dive 440 – Hancock Bank – Part 3
Date: July 26, 2021
Location: Hancock Bank in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 600 meters
Work Completed: Investigating sites where marine minerals are known or expected to occur and assess the biological communities living amongst the mineral substrates. The team’s goal is to establish mineral and biological baselines, examine conditions that may influence biodiversity and inspect the therapeutic potential of deep-sea microbes affiliated with mineral-rich areas.

Dive can be seen HERE on Facebook.

ROV Dive 441 – San Juan Seamount – Colonization (Part 1)
Date: July 27, 2021
Location:  San Juan Seamount in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 1120 meters
Work Completed: The primary objective of this dive will be the recovery of colonization experiments that were deployed last year. This is the first of two dives today on the Seamount.
Note: Due to technical difficulties, the dive was not streamed on YouTube. It is available on Facebook.

ROV Dive 442 – San Juan Seamount – Colonization (Part 2)
Date: July 27, 2021
Location: San Juan Seamount in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 700 meters
Work Completed: The primary objective of this dive will be the recovery of colonization experiments that were deployed last year. This is the second of two dives today on the Seamount.

ROV Dive 443 – San Juan Seamount
Date: July 28, 2021
Location: San Juan Seamount in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 1450 meters
Work Completed: The team will explore a ridge on the northern side of the seamount, collecting a variety of samples (biological, geological, physical).

ROV Dive 444 – SW Patton Escarpment
Date: July 29, 2021
Location: SW face of Patton Escarpment in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 1800 meters
Work Completed: The team will explore the steep slope, collecting a variety of samples (biological, geological, physical).

ROV Dive 445 – Little Joe Seamount
Date: July 30, 2021
Location: SE side of Little Joe Seamount in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 2760m meters
Work Completed: The team will explore starting at 2760m on the extinct volcano and work their way up sampling along the way to about 2400m.

ROV Dive 446 – 40-Mile Bank
Date: July 31, 2021
Location: Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 1039 meters
Work Completed: This is the first of two dives this day, with the primary objective being the recovery of colonization experiments that were deployed last year.

ROV Dive 447 – 40-Mile Bank
Date: July 31, 2021
Location: Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 1039 meters
Work Completed: This is the second of two dives this day, with the primary objective being the recovery of colonization experiments that were deployed last year.

ROV Dive 448 – Crespi Knoll
Date: Aug 1, 2021
Location: Western side of Crespi Knoll in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 557 meters
Work Completed: The team will explore starting at 557m and work their way up sampling along the way to about 464m.

ROV Dive 449 – Lasuen Knoll
Date: Aug 2, 2021
Location: South-western side of Lasuen Knoll in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 397 meters
Work Completed: The team will explore starting at 397m and work their way up sampling along the way to about 138m

ROV Dive 450 – DDT Barrel Site 1 (North)
Date: Aug 3, 2021
Location: DDT Barrel Site 1 (North) in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 888 meters
Work Completed: The science team conducted research on the DDT Dumpsite off the coast of Los Angeles. DDT Barrels were dumped from 1947-1982. ROV SuBastian took samples throughout two day-long dives to add to the assessment of DDT’s effect on the Deep Sea.

ROV Dive 451 – DDT Barrel Site 2 (North)
Date: Aug 4, 2021
Location: DDT Barrel Site 2 in the Southern California Borderland (SCB)
Estimated Maximum Depth: 888 meters
Work Completed: The science team conducted research on the DDT Dumpsite off the coast of Los Angeles. DDT Barrels were dumped from 1947-1982. ROV SuBastian took samples throughout two day-long dives to add to the assessment of DDT’s effect on the Deep Sea.

ROV Dive 452 – Coronado Escarpment
Date: Aug 5, 2021
Location: Coronado Escarpment just off the coast of San Diego, CA
Estimated Maximum Depth: 480 meters
Work Completed: The science team will be exploring while looking for phosphorite rocks and other biota.