DIVE 3518
15 JANUARY 2000

Pilot: Steve Faluotico
Port Observer: Phillip Taylor
Starboard Observer: Martial Taillefert

Time and Event

08:05 — Alvin entered the water.

09:05 — 1200 m, checked to make sure electrodes were working, looking good.

09:09 — Seabird pump was checked.

09:15 — Alvin reached bottom, location 2238X, 1557Y. Temp. 2.9° C.

09:24 — Video cameras turned on.

09:30 — Riftia located on starboard side; white and yellow bacterial mats located ahead of sub.

09:40 — Huge clump of Riftia discovered at 2280X, 1616Y.

09:55 — Forward Niskin bottle tripped over, diffuse flow. 2279X, 1622Y. Heading 315.

10:02 – 10:15 — Photo taken of Riftia; then Riftia were collected. 2280X, 1616Y. Heading 262.

10:15 — Located good flange 2277X, 1622Y HD. 327. Check Hi-temperature 40° – 70° C in general with one reading of 224 below the flange. Depth 1996. Difficulty getting a good firm position.

10:15 –12:15 — 3-chip video from 37 min. to 1:21 hr. Videotape was taken of the sulfide structure during the sampling. Stopped the 3-chip video after first sampling location on the sulfide flange. This was due to use of the starboard manipulator for sampling.

11:21 – 12:06 — Sipper samples taken 2275.4X, 1621.8Y. Head to 355.

11:21 — Sipper 1 fired approximate temperature 20° – 60° C.

11:36 — Sipper 2 fired.

11:52 — Sipper 3 fired.

12:06 — Sipper 4 fired.

12:20 –12:26 — Flange sample retrieved and put in forward chamber of coffin. Basket scoop was used.

12:15 — 3-chip video was used to document the sampling of the flange. Video time 1:21-1:26.

12:30 — Photos number 1 and 2 on the 2nd card showed the remains after flange removed.

12:43 –12:47 — Located Robin’s Roost. 2176.6X, 1518Y. 1995.6 depth, H 337, Alt 10.8. Huge wall of Riftia.

13:00 — Begin voltammetry. Temperature up to 100° C so moved away from surface. Found region of 40° – 80° C. Photo #4 on 2nd card shows the area 1 on the Robin’s Roost flange.

11:21 – 12:06 — Sipper samples 2275.4X, 1621.8Y. Heading 355.

13:18 – 13:21 — Sipper 1 fired, approximate temp. 40° – 80° C.

13:33 – 13:36 — Sipper 2 fired.

13:46 – 13:50 — Sipper 3 fired.

14:01 – 14:04 — Sipper 4 fired.

14:06 – 14:09 — Sulfide sample was completed. The sample was placed in the small Biobox, in two pieces.

14:16 — 2nd Niskin bottled tripped over, diffuse flow of Robin’s Roost. 2177X, 1517 Y. 1994.4 depth, 12.7 Alt. Head 000

14:20 — Headed off to find Marker 1 at 2732X, 1286Y.

14:35 — Located microbial mat near marker 1. Mat was approximately the size of the Alvin basket. Loose flocculent material.

TIME??? Hi- temperature. Approximately 7°C. 2727X, 1282Y. 2012.6 depth, Heading to 297.

15:04 – 15:07 — Sipper fired and voltammetry measurements made over the surface of the mat
3 – 5 cm.

15:15 — Alvin core in, collected at 15:19.

15:18 — Core #2 in.

15:25 — Core #3 in. Core #1 fell over and was not used. Core #2 fell over but was righted and collected at 15:21.

15:28 — Core #3 collected. Marker 2 was dropped at this coring site.

15:30 — Clam collection attempted. Dropped in coffin in a plume of muddy water. Not sure if we
got it.

15:36 — Lifted from the bottom.