Dr. Craig Cary

Oct. 18 – 22:
Dr. Craig Cary Answers Your Questions

My name is Robbie Staufeneger, and I am 1 of the 180 schools that were picked to use your trip to learn from. My school is B. L. Miller in Sebring, Ohio. I want to know what it is like to be the principal scientist in this huge expedition, and discover all kinds of new species, and organisms.

Robbie Staufeneger

Hi, Robbie —

This is my 4th time as Chief Scientist on the Atlantis and I love it! This expedition is special because of the diversity of research we are doing. Being Chief is a lot of fun but also a lot of responsibility. I am the
primary interface between the ship’s crew, Alvin group, and science team and spend most of my time making sure everything on the science end runs smoothly. My primary focus is to see that all of the proposed objects get met — hard with so many interests on board. Also as Chief Scientist, I get a big
stateroom by myself up by the Captain — nice with the long hours (18 – 20 hrs.) each day.

My name is Mark Van Arsdale, and I am a marine biology teacher in Eagle River, Alaska. My question is how do deep-sea organisms (specifically vent organisms) vary from ocean to ocean and vent to vent? How do the organisms found on the vents in the Juan de Fuca Ridge system, or the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, or the East Pacific Rise compare?

Hello, Mark —

There are clear differences between the different ridge systems. The East Pacific Rise has the large tubeworms whereas the Juan de Fuca Ridge and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) do not. In fact the MAR lacks tubeworms altogether! Mussels are a common feature to all three ridge systems. The MAR is also dominated by shrimp.

Hi Dr. Cary. Our oceanography class has been following your expedition during these last few weeks of school. My question is this, how do the Pompeii worms survive outside of their environment? Do you recreate the conditions they are used to while studying them? — Dallas, Phoenixville Area High School, Phoenixville, PA

Hi Dallas —

The Pompeii worm frequently will leave its tube and wander around the colony surface feeding on bacterial mats. On several occasions, I have seen them crawl over a meter away and even wander off the colony. Beyond that and away from the protection of their high-temperature environment, they are a tasty treat for the crabs that comb the chimneys for food. We are currently trying to figure out just how the worms are able to travel between such a thermal gradient. They certainly hold the world’s record —
stay tuned, in a few years we hope we can give you a better answer.

	Dear Dr. Craig, On your Web site will you be putting a game like your adventure on it? Have you ever seen a Pompeii worm before? Thanks. — Yours truly, Tab
	Hey Tab — Tthanks for the question. No games are planned, but that is a great idea. Yes — we collect the worms almost every day. In fact, yesterday (Friday, Oct. 19) on our first dive we collected over 20!!

Hello, my name is Arianna. As the chief scientist on this dive, what is it that you expect to find in the hydrothermal vents? I realize that you will find the crabs, tubeworms, etc., but what else do you expect to see? Are you just going to take water samples to study the chemical species, tubeworms, etc... or are you looking for something in particular that is really new? I was also wondering a little bit about the Pompeii Worms. I heard from my teacher that organisms that live in extremely pressurized areas can’t survive in lower pressure areas... their bodies can't handle the difference. Can the Pompeii Worms survive in a higher pressurized environment? Thank you so much for your time and consideration, Dr. Cary.

Arianna Kenney, Westford Academy, Westford, Massachusetts

Hey Arianna —

Here are you answers — great questions!!!

We have been visiting this vent site now for several years and for the most part have seen most of the larger animals. Where we make discoveries every day is with the bacteria. Here we have only just touched the tip of the iceberg.

Yes we will be taking samples for chemistry every day — these will be analyzed on board everynight into the wee hours. On every dive, we will be collecting animals, chimney rock, water, and pick up equipment we left on a previous dive.

No — unfortunately we are not able to keep them alive on the surface. We and others are trying to develop equipment to do just that, but for now they arrive DOA. The small crabs that come up, however, are able to withstand the pressure difference only as juveniles. In fact we got one up yesterday (Neptune!) who now lives in my room in a small dixie cup (I feed him bits of Alvinella!!).

Hi my name is Kristina Rhodes. I am 14 and I live in Grand Junction, Colorado. I just wanted to ask you a question. How come when you get down deeper in the ocean it gets colder and colder even though you are getting closer and closer to the core and mantle and stuff of the Earth. I have never got that. Thanks for your time. By the way even though we just started this expedition. I just think that this investigation is the best we’ve ever done. — Sincerely, Kristina Rhodes Grand Junction Colorado

Hey Kristina —

Great question — many reasons. Mostly, the water on the bottom of the ocean originates in the Antarctic and at its source is very cold (-1.7°C)!! Because it is so cold and a bit salty, it sinks down to the seafloor and flows along into all of our major oceans. This layer of bottom water is covered by more cold water that originates in the Arctic Ocean — it too is very cold. The crust, for the most part, insulates the cold bottom water from the hot mantle heating except at the spreading ridges where the heat makes its way to the surface of the seafloor in places. This is why just about anywhere you go in the deep sea, the water temp is right about 2° C.

	What kind of mental and physical preparation does it take for the scientists and crew of Alvin and the Atlantis to make such an important excursion possible? How long does it take to prepare a dive into the “unknown depths?”— Hans, Oceanography student at Pansophia Academy, Coldwater, MI

Questions from a 6th Grade Class at Victoria Elementary, Riverside, California

Dear Dr. Cary…

How many years did you go to school, and where did you start working? — Drew

What was your best find while down on a dive? — Matt

How much money and how much time did it take to build Alvin? — Scott

What temperature zones do most animals live in? — Jade

What is the most exciting part of your job? — Dennis

How many species of oceanic animals are extinct? — Ryceejo

What made you interested in exploring the deep? — Hannah

What is your favorite marine animal that you have seen? — Todd

Where you ever scared going down so deep? — Kristen

If the fish in the twilight zone were brought to the surface, would they survive? — Janine

Out of all the dives you have been on what is your most significant? — Matt

Do you get to name newly discovered creatures? — Jordan

How does coral protect different animals? — Lindsay

Does a shark really have teeth on its skin? — Ben

What is the strangest creature you have ever seen? — Briana

Do you look forward to deep sea diving in Alvin? — Andrew

Do you deep sea dive with the same people? — Andrew

Dr. Cary, I have followed and tracked your expedition online. I have always wanted to be an oceanographer, so I would like to know, did you plan to be a marine scientist? How did you
prepare to become a marine scientist, and how do you like your work? — Aiden

Thanks For Your Time and Effort!
Mr. Kraemer, Teacher

	How do you name the new species you find? Thanks. — Westford Academy Student

	Do you expect to make any discoveries that will help mankind, such as medicine for diseases? Thank you! — Westford Academy Student

	What was the most unique animal you ever found in the ocean?? Thanks!! — Westford Academy Student

	Hi my name is Brett, and I go to Westford Academy in Westford. I have a super dooper question to ask you. Is it possible to find giant squids when you go down in “Alvin” because I heard that they live in deep sea oceans. Thank you and have fun with life.

	Hi, my Freshman class at Westford Academy is now studying about the deep sea and I was wondering how many new discoveries do you find each time you go down there? How many are you hoping to find during this trip? Thanks! — Ashley Anderson @ Westford Academy

	My name is Matthew, I am enrolled at Westford Academy in Westford. I have a wonderful question to ask you about your dive. How many new species have you discovered on your dive down to the deep ocean in Alvin? Thank you sir. See you in the future!!!

Dear Mr. Cary, we are Julie and Nora, from Westford Academy. We were wondering if you have ever dared to drive Alvin over a hydrothermal vent, while it was erupting? If so, did it melt any part of Alvin or create any type of damage or problems? Thank you for your time and consideration.

Julie Burgomaster and Nora Newhard, Westford Academy

Why is it so important to see a hydrothermal vent, and what kind of samples will you be taking? Also what kind of lighting do you use to see? Thanks — Matt Tomford, Edmonson Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan, Teacher: Mrs. Wenson

Hi Matt,

Well for many reasons really — it is thought that the vents are one of the most extreme environments on Earth, and so there is a lot of interest to understand how the organisms that thrive there are able to survive. Many believe that if we can understand this, we might be able to apply this knowledge to help us clean up areas on land that are contaminated with similar stuff. Also — it is thought that life may have evolved in high temperatures so we are hoping to gain some insight into this process by visiting vents which have been around long before life began. In regards to your second question, we have these small but very powerful lights on the sub called HMIs.

I want to know how you transport things from the bottom of the ocean to the top. Take the Pompeii worm for instance how do you take it to Atlantis without it exploding or dying, because of the pressure.

Frank-A Chapa, Westford Academy

	Hello, I’m Jeff from Westford Academy, and I was wondering how many times (so far) have you whent down in Alvin?

Hello, my name is Chris and I am from the Westford Academy in Westford, MA. My 9th grade class is studying the deep sea odyssey. Today is the day that you are leaving to depart for your visit down to the bottom of the ocean floor. I was wondering how nervous people get before departure, and if any of the people that go down there get sick. O yea and also what was the most amazing discovery that you have found down there so far? Thanks for your help.

We would like to know what specifically drew you personally to researching deep hydrothermal vents? Several of us in Oceanography are interested in marine sciences as future careers, but are very curious about your personal interests in researching the organisms of the abyss and observing first-hand what many are calling today the site of Life’s own evolution.

Oceanography Students at Pansophia Academy, Coldwater, Michigan

Hey Pansophia Students —

Actually, it is a great story. I came from Florida to San Diego in 1980 to do my master’s degree at San Diego State University. While there I took a class from Dr. Rick Phleger on Deep Sea Biology. That was it — I was hooked!! By the way, Rick is out with us on this voyage!! His first Alvin cruise — and later in the series he will make his first dive — it was the least I could do for someone who gave me so much. When I got to Scripps, vent biology was just beginning and I lucked out to get into a lab (Horst Felbeck) that was right at the edge — I have been there ever since. You realy nailed the importance of vents — my interests are directly tied to understanding the evolution of life and adaptations to life in the extreme. This is not only important to events here on Earth but for the search and discovery of life on other planets.

	Dear scientist, I was wondering how the Alvin runs, like what kind of gas does it take or how does it move? — Justin Woodard
	Hi Justin — The sub runs on batteries!!! Much the same as a car battery but lots bigger. Since we are not connected to the ship, once in the water — we are on our own!!

	I am a high school senior at the Academy of St. Joseph and I was wondering how you prevent getting the “bends” when you are diving so deep in Alvin. I know how careful Ihave to be when I dive to 30 feet, so what do you do when you go to 14,000 feet? — Marisa Pose' /Academy of St. Joseph
	Hello Marisa — Easy - we are in a 6-foot titanium sphere that maintains the pressure similar to the surface. So as far as our bodies are concerned, we never left the surface.

	What does it look like as you go down in Alvin? What do you see? — R. Wayne Battaglino
	Hey Wayne — Mostly blackness until we are on the bottom. That is when the fun begins! Vents are diverse and very exciting — please see the Web page on vents in this site. Outside of the vents, it looks like hard black rock — basalt — and that is just about it.

	Hi my name is Brittney Smith. I go to Sebring school B. L Miller. I would like to ask you a question. About how many sea creatures live under water? — Brittney Smith
	Hi, Brittney — Wow — great question — I have know idea because if you consider bacteria, it is surely billions and billions!!

Hi, I am Stephanie Drake from Neah-Kah-Nie High school, Rockaway Beach, Oregon. There are so many things I want to know about the trip. Here are a few of my questions... How are the room assignments made? Does your roommate snore? and Do you miss your family when you are gone out on the boat? Thank you guys so much. — Stephanie Drake

Hey Stephanie —

Rooms — well good question — I make the assignments. I have to consider gender, postion (doctor, student) and if they get seasick! .... Does my roommate snore? No — I'm lucky. As chief scientist, I have no roommate — but with the noise in the ship, snoring is the least of your worries.... Yes, I miss my family very much — it is the harest thing — but if I get lonely I can just pick up the phone in my room and dial home direct, by sat communication. I did it last night and my 6-year-old Robin sounded just like she was next door — and she is in New Zealand!!

	Hi, what do you do for fun on the ship in your spare time? How much spare time do you have? — Scott

1. Have you experienced any complications due to the different environment? Erin Sekcienski
2. How is Alvin powered? Chase Curry
3. Have you ever seen a sea wasp? Are they really the sea's deadliest creature? Mike Foxwell
4. Has any sea creature every attacked the Alvin? Darris Sample
5. What is it like to discover something new for the first time? Robin F.
6. Can you describe how it looks down there? Dennis Donaway
7. Are there times when you are afraid when on a dive? Justin Vickers
8. Have you had any problems with the Alvin when you were deep in the ocean? Jonathan Bauer
9. Are all the sea creatures that exist so deep without color? Robert Shanefelter
10. Have there been any new unusual sea creatures you have seen? K'Andre Andrews

Dear Dr. Craig Cary, hows the expedition coming along? Has the Alvin ever failed? Do you like being chief scientist? — From Ryann Morris

Hey Ryann —

The expedition is moving along well at this time, but as is usual when working in the deep-sea and from a ship, we have had our share of equipment problems. Yes, any time you put such sophisticated piece of
equipment in the water and send it down to the bottom of the sea, things will break. While it does not happen often, the sub does break and needs to be fixed. The Alvin group is by far the most successful submergence group in the world — diving more than any other submersible. This does not mean that they would put the sub in the water when it should not be — more that they can fix just about anything (often working through the night) and get the sub in the water the next morning. I love being Chief — it is a very hard job giving you only a few hours a day to sleep - if you look closely on the Web page, you will see the rings under my eyes. The best part is working with a great group of people (Science and Crew) to
make the science happen — the enthusiasm is incredible!

	Dear Dr. Cary, How do you stand the heat and coldness? And how do the Pompeii worms feel like? — From Tamara
	Hi Tamara — In the sub we wear sweat pants and shirts, socks, and a wool hat. With that, you are toasty. We can not feel the heat at all — if we got too close, it could damage the sub. The worm feels very much like an earthworm but much bigger — still slimy!!!

	How deep do you go in the Alvin?
	On this trip 2,500 meters, but Alvin can go to 4, 000 m —- you do the math to convert to feet!!

Dear Dr. Craig Cary, My name is Joni Celiz, fifth grade student at Princess Nahi'ena'ena.
1) Is Alvin the only submersible that is capable of exploring the deep sea. If not what other submersibles are there?
2) What are you expecting to see or discover in the deep oceans?
3) Is there life in space?
4) What theory or conclusion has led you to the fact that there is life in space?
Thank you for your time and effort in teaching this fascinating discovery. — Joni Celiz

Hey Joni — great questions!

1) No, there are several others. The French have several; the Nautile is the deepest diving, The Russians have two called the Mir (you saw them in the film Titanic!) and the Japanese have the deepest-diving sub (Shinkai 6500).

2) What are you expecting to see or discover in the deep oceans?

We hope to discover many new and exciting bacteria — some may truly be close relatives to the very early organisms that evolved on Earth.

3) Is there life in space?

Well that is a hard one — let’s just say I really hope so. I mean with the vastness of space and all that lies in between, I have a hard time believing that our planet is that unique. Somewhere, I think the processes
that drove the evolution of life here must have happened (may be not the exact same way) somewhere else. I can say this — the discovery of life on another planet will certainly be the most profound discovery of all mankind. I have a feeling, and maybe this is the romantic in me, that this discovery will come soon, maybe not in my lifetime but certainly maybe in yours.

4) What theory or conclusion has led you to the fact that there is life in space?

The discovery of the ice-covered moon of Jupiter (Europa) has me very excited — even more so than Mars. If you look at Europa, the surface temperature is very cold and really the surface should all be solid ice — but there is strong evidence to suggest that there is liquid water under the ice. If there is, there has to be a huge heat source (like hydrothermal vents) to keep the water from freezing. If there are vents then maybe — possibly like here on Earth — life may once again have evolved in the heat. Maybe one day we will discover some type of life under Europa’s ice.

From Sussex Central High School, Georgetown, DE:

1. Have you experienced any complications due to the different environment? — Erin Sekcienski

2. How is Alvin powered? — Chase Curry

3. Have you ever seen a sea wasp? Are they really the sea’s deadliest creature? — Mike Foxwell

4. Has any sea creature every attacked the Alvin? — Darris Sample

5. What is it like to discover something new for the first time? — Robin F.

6. Can you describe how it looks down there? — Dennis Donaway

7. Are there times when you are afraid when on a dive? — Justin Vickers

8. Have you had any problems with the Alvin when you were deep in the ocean? — Jonathan Bauer

9. Are all the sea creatures that exist so deep without color? — Robert Shanefelter

10. Have there been any new unusual sea creatures you have seen? — K’Andre Andrews