Nereus Dives 055 & 056
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: Sampling at Von Damm
Dive Plan
- Dive direct to East Summit of Von Damm spire (226°C Fluids site) at ~2300m. [X = 1982, Y = 1103; depth = 2291m]
- Collect up to 100 shrimp using slurp suction sampler (if that many fit in chamber) for Max & Cindy.
- Find/create good vent orifice, record temperatures (target >200°C) and take 2 x IGT fluid samples (Jeff).
- Collect complementary microbio (SUPR) sample for Julie at same location.
- Collect high quality video footage before leaving top of Spire (Chris).
- Drive south in mid-water off the top of the Von Damm mound in the direction of Marker X-18 (tube-worm and whale bone site) [X = 2041, Y = 892; depth = 2376m]
- Inspect whale-bone experiment for evidence of Osedax colonization (Cindy).
- Head short distance (10m?) north & east to “Shrimp Hole” site for microbio (SUPR) sample for Julie (IGT temperature in 2012 was 21°C) [Jason 2012 Coordinates: X = 2039, Y = 892; depth = 2374m]
- Continue uphill (NNW approx.) toward Old Man Tree, as time allows to: a) Check temperatures using IGT probes at other diffuse flow sites including:¬-Hot Cracks #1 & #2 [X = 2028-35, Y = 915-918; depth = 2372m] -Old Man Tree [X = 2011, Y = 914; depth = 2373m] b) Collect additional microbio samples for Julie, as required, based on T° readings
- Continue NNE from Old Man Tree toward targets from Nereus 053 photo-survey to a) Search for and collect live mussels if we can find any. b) Visit/inspect sites with dense tube-worm colonies.
- If time/power allows, continue north, up the southern face of the Von Damm cone to return to the central Von Damm spire; collect additional video and end dive.
Nereus Dive 057 & 058
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: High Temperature Sampling at Beebe Vents, Piccard Hydrothermal Field
Dive Plan
- Approach bottom to North of Piccard Hydrothermal Field
- Head to Beebe Vent #1 [X=3357, Y=5163; Depth = 4958m]
- Collect 2 x Hi-T end-members using IGTs from Beebe Vent #1 [Best to sample from E or NE: Nereus on Heading 225-270]
- Conduct SUPR Plume Sampling above Beebe Vent #1 [Chip]
- Proceed ESE to Shrimp Gulley (Beebe Sea Mound) [X=3413, Y=5154; Depth = 4940m]
- Collect up to 100 shrimp via Slurp for Max & Cindy
- Check feasibility of taking SUPR samples from Shrimp Gulley (length of SUPR wand)
- Conduct high-impact video-imagining at Shrimp Gulley
- If we didn’t break everything yet, drive to Beebe Woods and image that. [X=3369, Y=5111; Depth = 4965m]
Nereus Dive 059
Oases 2013 – Low Temperature Sampling at Piccard & IGT-5 / Glassy Basalt sampling
Dive Plan
- Approach bottom to North of Piccard Hydrothermal Field
- Head to Hot Chimlets area [Jason 2012 coordinates: X=3359, Y=5221; Depth = 4988m]
- Collect 2 x IGTs fluid samples (Jeff)
- Collect 3 or 4 x SUPR-microbiology samples (Julie)
- Head West to search for IGT-5 left behind in 2009 (Jeff) [Nereus 2009 coordinates: 18.55027390°N, 81.72196198°W]
- Recover any Oases markers found on seafloor (Chris) [Nereus 2009 coordinates:18.54692841°N, 81.72389221°W]
- Keep a look out for fresh glassy basalt (Max)
Nereus Dive 060
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: Low-Temperature Sampling at Von Damm
Dive Plan
- Dive to Marker X-18 to the south of the Von Damm spire (tube-worm and whale bone site) [Jason 2012 coordinates: X = 2041, Y = 892; depth = 2376m]
- Inspect whale-bone experiment for evidence of Osedax colonization (Cindy).
- Deploy “Infinity Project” planet (Chris) and photograph it.
- Locate diffuse flow site with “seep” microbes at X-18 and sample again for Jluie. [Jason 2012 Coordinates: X = 2044, Y = 893; depth = 2376m]
- Swing by “Shrimp Hole” (IGT temperature in 2012 was 21°C) [Jason 2012 Coordinates: X = 2039, Y = 892; depth = 2374m]
- Slurp for up to 100 “sparse” shrimp anywhere along this transect
- Continue uphill (NNW approx.) toward Old Man Tree, and: a) Check temperatures using SUPR: T-probe at other diffuse flow sites including:¬-Hot Cracks #1 & #2 [J2012: X = 2028-35, Y = 915-918; depth = 2372m] -Old Man Tree [J2012: X = 2011, Y = 914; depth = 2373m] b) Collect additional microbio samples for Julie, as required, based on T° readings c) Collect 2 x IGT samples at some point along the way (or later)
- Continue NNE from Old Man Tree toward targets from Nereus 053 photo-survey to a) Search for and collect live mussels if we can find any. b) Visit/inspect sites with dense tube-worm colonies and collect good video.
- As time/power allows, continue north, up the eastern face of the Von Damm cone to reconnoitre other potential sampling sites for Dive 061 and test using SUPR T-probe. a) Ravelin #2 [J2012: X = 2068, Y = 941, Z = 2387m] b) Ravelin #1 [J2012: X = 2048, Y = 949, Z = 2383m] c) Arrow Loop #1 [J2012: X = 1983, Y = 1103, Z = 2308m] d) Ginger Castle [J2012: X = 1981, Y = 1135, Z = 2308m] e) White Castle [J2012: X = 1972, Y = 1138, Z = 2306m]
- Finally, circle around to the south, still climbing upward, to the central Von Damm spire & collect additional video to end the dive.
Nereus Dive 061
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: Cleaning Up at Von Damm
Dive Plan
- Dive to the northern side of Von Damm spire.
- Take 2 x IGT samples (Jeff) at one of: a) White Castle [J2012: X = 1972, Y = 1138, Z = 2306m] b) Ginger Castle [J2012: X = 1981, Y = 1135, Z = 2308m]
- Check with Julie if she would like SUPR-Micro samples at this site
- Spiral out to East then South around EastFlank of Von Damm Spire to reach Hot Cracks sites #1 and #2 to sample for SUPR Micro for Julie.
- Proceed to Target 17 on DVL Nav to slurp for 10 or more “sparse” shrimp for Max.
- Check for mussels for Cindy near a) Ravelin #2 [J2012: X = 2068, Y = 941: Depth = 2387m, HDG = 104° / T = 115°C] b) Ravelin #1 [J2012: X = 2048, Y = 949; Depth = 2383m, HDG = 330° / T = 145°C] Slurp sample if required.
- Continue up-slope from Ravelin #1 to unsampled site on spur, NW from Old Man Tree to check whether Julie wants to sample.
- Head back to “Best Bet for Mussels” site to sample with Slurp for Cindy.
- Proceed north to site just East of Von Damm spire (Arrow Loops) to check whether Julie wants to sample.
- If Julie didn’t fill SUPR yet, return to a) Ginger Castle [J2012: X = 1981, Y = 1135, Z = 2308m / T = 125°C] b) White Castle [J2012: X = 1972, Y = 1138, Z = 2306m / T = 151°C]
Nereus Dive 062
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: Low-T Sampling at Piccard
Dive Plan
- Dive to the northern side of Piccard Hydrothermal Field
- Proceed to Hot Chimlet site and place Planet in situ on metalliferous hard ground (orange).
- Contour to right / downhill slightly to locate additional sites (target 80°C)
- Collect complementary SUPR Micro samples for Julie.
- If that didn’t work, progress uphill to South over abundant diffuse flow sites.
- Find somewhere else good for IGTs.
- Find multiple other sites for Julie.
- Proceed to Beebe Woods to collect sparse shrimp from base of chimneys.
- Collect pretty imagery of Beebe Woods vent-site -sparse shrimp at base of chimneys -images of the chimneys themselves
- Video transect for Brennan Phillips above Beebe Woods to come home.
Nereus Dive 063
Oases 2013 – Primary Objective: Cleaning Up at Piccard
Dive Plan
- Dive to the northern side of Piccard Hydrothermal Field
- Pass by Hot Chimlet unless Jeff shouts “Stop”
- Pick up a furry rock and place in BioBox
- Proceed to Beebe Vents and conduct Chip’s SUPR sampling in plume.
- Proceed to Beebe Woods to collect sparse shrimp from base of chimneys (Max).
- Collect pretty imagery of Beebe Woods vent-site (Chris) -sparse shrimp at base of chimneys -images of the chimneys themselves
- Continue to Beebe Sea mound to collect 2 x IGT fluid samples.
