Following up on a 2015 cruise by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, this cruise, led by Dr. Robert Zierenberg, Dr. David Caress, and Dr. Victoria Orphan, will tackle a full investigation of the tectonic, geochemistry, and associated microbial communities and life forms around recently discovered hydrothermal vents. These vents were discovered atop a fault scarp at more than 3600 meters dept his the South Pescadero Basin, the southernmost sediment-covered pull-apart basin in the Gulf of California. First, a “big picture” will be collected by R/V Flakers shipboard multi beam mapping and magnetic instruments, followed up by higher resolution mapping by an AUV for areas of interest. Once the entire vent field has been mapped, the team will use the new AUV maps to explore for new hydrothermal fields using the ROV to collect chimneys, vent fluids, sediment, and rock samples. The most detailed mapping will be done in the known vent field using a low attitude survey system mounted onto the ROV for centimeter-scale mapping using a new Lidar system. This cruise aims to expand the knowledge of this newly discovered venting system as they collected and analyze data at multiple scales from multiple disciplines.

ROV SuBastian Dive 184 – Auka Vent – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/04/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Auka Vent in Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: SuBastian is outfitted with mapping equipment utilizing both sonar and lidar technology, as well as a stereo photography system. This leg of the expedition is intended to create a high resolution map of the area to allow scientists to understand the structure of the vent field and help find diffuse and discrete venting sites.

ROV SuBastian Dive 185 – Auka Vent – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/05/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Auka Vent in the Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: SuBastian is outfitted with mapping equipment utilizing both sonar and lidar technology, as well as a stereo photography system. This leg of the expedition is intended to create a high resolution map of the area to allow scientists to understand the structure of the vent field and help find diffuse and discrete venting sites.

ROV SuBastian Dive 186 – Auka Vent – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/06/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Auka Vent in the Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: SuBastian is outfitted with mapping equipment utilizing both sonar and lidar technology, as well as a stereo photography system. This leg of the expedition is intended to create a high resolution map of the area to allow scientists to understand the structure of the vent field and help find diffuse and discrete venting sites.

ROV SuBastian Dive 187 – Auka Vent – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/06/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Auka Vent in the Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: SuBastian is outfitted with mapping equipment utilizing both sonar and lidar technology, as well as a stereo photography system. This leg of the expedition is intended to create a high resolution map of the area to allow scientists to understand the structure of the vent field and help find diffuse and discrete venting sites.

ROV SuBastian Dive 190 – North Pescadero Basin – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/10/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – North Pescadero Basin in the Pescadero Basin Region
Depth: About 3200 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to investigate a new area in hope of finding volcanic outcrops This area has had little study to date. To our knowledge this is the first time anyone has seen the seafloor in this area.

ROV SuBastian Dive 191 – North Pescadero Basin – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/11/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – North Pescadero Basin in the Pescadero Basin Region
Depth: About 3300 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to investigate a new area in hope of finding volcanic outcrops This area has had little study to date. To our knowledge this is the first time anyone has seen the seafloor in this area.

ROV SuBastian Dive 192 – Barite Hill – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/11/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Barite Hill in South Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3300 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to investigate a mound that may be a large but inactive hydrothermal deposit.

ROV SuBastian Dive 193 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/14/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 194 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/14/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 195 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/16/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3600 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 196 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/17/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3700 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 197 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/19/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3700 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 198 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/19/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3700 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 199 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/20/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3700 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.

ROV SuBastian Dive 200 – Pescadero Basin
Date: 11/21/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Pescadero Basin
Depth: About 3700 meters depth
Work Completed: The team’s primary objective is to collect biological, geological and water samples from various active venting areas.