The Pacific margin of Costa Rica is an area full of seamounts, methane seeps, thermal anomalies. Dr. Erik Cordes (Temple University) and his team of interdisciplinary researchers are visiting multiple low-oxygen seep areas along the margin and seamount sites out to the protected Isla del Coco National Park. These systems support the global marine environment through habitat creation, nutrient cycling, and maintenance of biodiversity. Despite several research expeditions to this region, scientists still know very little about how these types of ecosystems may be connected to communities in the rest of the oceans including the soft sediment background communities and deep-sea corals. The team is looking to see how sites differ by depth, oxygen dynamics, pH, seep intensity, and the available substrate. At each site, a suite of sensors, instruments, and statistical methods will be used to combine biological and oceanographic surveys, transplant experiments, and vertical water column characterizations that will provide a full biogeochemical understanding of the area. Understanding what ecosystem processes generate these key services is fundamental to their protection.
ROV SuBastian Dive 212 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/06/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: To +1700m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 213 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/06/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: +1700m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 214 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/07/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: +1800m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from the site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 215 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/08/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: +1000m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 216 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/09/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 400m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from the site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 217 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/10/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 1000m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from the site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 218 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/11/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 2000m
Work Completed: The team explored a previously visited site to survey and sample known areas, recover previous deployments, and transit away from the site for sampling of background fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 219 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/13/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 700m
Work Completed: The team explored the Rio Bongo site off the coast of Costa Rica. They surveyed and sampled the seeps of the area, including tubeworms, clams, mussels, and carbonates (some with corals).
ROV SuBastian Dive 220 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/13/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: over 3500m
Work Completed: The team explored the Subduction Seep site off the coast of Costa Rica. They surveyed and sampled the seeps of the area, including tubeworms, clams, mussels, and carbonates (some with corals).
ROV SuBastian Dive 221 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/15/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 500m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled the steep slopes and the summit of Seamount 5.5, which had been mapped by multi-beam the previous night. This was the first time it has ever been visually surveyed. They focused on collecting Zenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 222 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/16/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 1500m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled the steep slopes and the summit of Seamount 7. This was the first time it has ever been visually surveyed. They focused on collecting Zenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 223 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/18/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean -Cocos Canyon just off Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Depth: about 1000m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled the steep canyon walls. The shallower reaches of the canyon have been explored by DeepSee submersible, they focused on the deeper areas. They focused on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 224 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/19/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 600m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled the South side of Cocos Island just off Costa Rica. The north side of the island has been explored by the DeepSee submersible, but there have been very limited observations of the south side. They tried to come all the way up to the mesophotic (less than 200m). They focused on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 225 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/20/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 660m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled the Three Sisters (Los Gemelas) site near Cocos Island just off Costa Rica. They came all the way up to the mesophotic (less than 200m). They focused on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 226 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/20/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 1600m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled Seamount 8 just off Costa Rica. The focus will be on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 227 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/20/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 1600m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled Seamount 6 just off Costa Rica. The focus will be on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 228 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/23/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 1250m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled Seamount 4 just off Costa Rica. The focus will be on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
ROV SuBastian Dive 230 – Costa Rican Deep Sea Connections
Date: 1/25/2019
Location: Pacific Ocean – Off Costa Rica
Depth: about 2000m
Work Completed: The team surveyed and sampled Mound Jaguar near Costa Rica. The focus will be on collecting Xenophyophores, sponges, and corals along with other interesting fauna.
