What has been your scariest experience on Atlantis? Have you been in any really big storms?? Thank you, sir! — A student in Delaware

A good captain does not have time to get scared because he/she must be able to react calmly and quickly in emergencies. Serious injuries or sickness to the crew or science party at sea are the most stressful times for me. Often we are days away from a hospital and I have to rely on my limited medical training to take care of the sick and injured, even though I can talk to a real doctor on the satellite phone 24/7 (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week)....Yes, I have been in quite a few storms over the past 22 years while at sea. some are worse than others. We get very good weather reports from different places like satellites and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Most of the time we know well in advance of approaching storms and hurricanes, so we can avoid the worst of it. Ships are very safe and seaworthy if they are taken care of properly. Storm is nothing to be too concerned about. Sometimes you have to slow the ship way down or even stop if the sea gets too rough until the storm passes. It can get very uncomfortable in a storm because the ship rocks and rolls a lot and some people get seasick. Not me, of course. :-)

...You are very welcome. I hope to see you out here some day. Most of the time it’s a lot of fun.

Hi, my name is Brian S. of Howell Middle School North. I have one question: how do you get to the surface if there is a power failure?

Hi, Brian, this is a good question —

Alvin, although a submersible, floats.Without the 832 pounds of steel descent/ascent weights we attach to the sub every morning, Alvin would remain on the surface. On descent, at about 50 meters from the bottom, the pilot releases two of the four weights, adjusts the sub’s buoyancy with water (added to or removed from tanks in the sub) to make it weightless (not mass-less). When it’s time to surface, the last two weights are released and the sub ‘floats’ to the surface. Our weight releases, known as the ‘Service Releases’ are powered from the ‘Service Bus,’ one of Alvin’s half a dozen or so electrical distribution networks. It’s the only ‘bus’ that can be powered by our emergency batteries, carried inside the sphere. In an emergency, the pilot can switch from normal 26 volt power, ‘converted’ from our 120 volt ‘Main
Batteries,’ to the emergency ‘Green’ power. This 30-volt source supplies the Service Bus and is used to release the ascent weights. It’s pretty simple and works! Thanks for the good question.

Hi! I’m Kyle is it hard to pilot the Alvin?

Bruce, I want to know if it is hard piloting Alvin? — From B. L.

Hi my name is Simon. I was wondering if it is difficult to maneuver the Alvin?

Hi Kyle, B.L., and Simon ...

‘Hard’ is a relative term. I’d use the word challenging. Different situations during the dive, like positioning to sample, finding a specific site, or maneuvering in strong current near the vents can be difficult. It’s important to know the limitations of the vehicle and your own abilities and balance those during the more difficult times below. Thanks for the question.

My name is Charlotte Tepper. I am currently a student at Royal Palm Beach High School. I am a Junior in Marine Biology. My teachers name is Mrs. Ahmad. We have been following this expedition for a few days now, and I must say, it is awesome. Being the pilot of Alvin must take a lot of responsibility. What would you say is the biggest responsibility that you have? Alvin is very small and becomes very uncomfortable. Have you ever wondered why you took the job you did? What were your thoughts? Are you the only person who knows how to maneuver Alvin? Thank you for your time. Hope to hear from you soon!! — Charlotte Tepper

Charlotte .... First, where is Royal Palm Beach, I live in Deerfield Beach, Fl.

The biggest responsibility that the Alvin Group has, pilots and techs, is to ensure the safety of our observers. Alvin’s record over the last 37 years is perfect. No one has ever been hurt. Everything else is
secondary; safety of the vehicle and mission accomplishments are always secondary to getting the folks back ‘home’ in good shape, although they’re often tired and a bit stiff.

Dave Olds, a group member up until about a year ago, once said, “This is the best and worst job...” What he was trying to say was the experiences out here are amazing, but we all give up a lot to get here. Eight months a year we’re out here working, often up to four or five weeks without a day off. Prior to this job I had a home, a girlfriend, and all the other things ‘normal’ people enjoy. Since 1996 when I started with the group, I have maintained no permanent residence, traveling around the U.S. and world during my vacation time. It’s a nomadic lifestyle that I’ve chosen, at least for the time I stay with the group. I realized that this was a chance of a lifetime and decided the sacrifices were worth it in the long term. Someday soon I’ll return to the ‘real’ world, probably ending up boring people with tales of my time in the group.

Hello, my name is Megan O’Neal and I'm from Arlington High School. My question is... How are the Vent Crabs able to survive the pressure way down in the ocean when human beings can’t even survive it? I mean, humans are so much bigger and stronger then a crab and we would die instantly from the pressure. I don’t understand how the Vent Crabs survive it. Thank You. — Megan O’Neal

Megan, first your assumption that humans are stronger than crabs is only partly true. It’s a relative thing. Think of the ant, capable of carrying multiples of its own weight over long distances. And the vent crab, capable of withstanding great pressure and temperature extremes. They’re often alive when we get them to the surface. These two examples beg the question, ‘Which of the three is really the ‘strongest’ animal?” It’s all relative. Our greater strength is really a function of our larger body size, but show me one human that can carry a car over his head while marching home and I’ll call that strength. The crabs and vent organisms have evolved so that what we call an ‘extreme’ environment is normal for them. Their bodies and cell structures are perfect for life in the deep. It’s our surface environment that is extreme for them, full of light, and heat and large clumsy humans full of assumptions.

Your question reminds me of a statement I once heard. Throughout the natural world, animals evolve to fill specific niches. They each have specific traits and behaviors that help them thrive in a particular environment. Ants and bees are socially united, moles live underground, bats use sonar to hunt insects, Riftia tubeworms cultivate symbiotic bacteria. Take away these one or two specialized traits, and the animal can no longer survive. But humans are different. We don’t have fur for cold weather, claws for hunting and defense, we can’t run that fast from predators, we can’t naturally breathe water or fly in the air. The one thing we can do is study, think and learn. It’s the one specific characteristic trait we have, an amazingly complex brain, capable of interpreting the natural world, studying other animal and plant traits, and adapting our environment to mimic them. Humans can breathe underwater, move at extreme velocities over water, land and air. We’ve even been to the moon. Take a look around you at the amazing array of things the human mind has created, television, computers, health care, meteorology, automobiles, the list is endless. From a physiological standpoint we’re not that specialized. It’s our brains and our questioning minds that make us different. And I believe that our future evolution will be a conscious one. We will think ourselves into the future.

“If intelligence is our only edge, we must learn to use it better, to sharpen it, to understand its limitations and deficiencies — to use it as cats use stealth, as katydids use camouflage — to make it the tool of our
survival.” — Carl Sagan

Thanks for the thought-provoking question ...

Hi, my name is Marcus Walker from Edmonson Middle School. I just wanted to know where exactly you are right now. Do you ever get bored? Is it fun? What do you do for fun? — Sincerely, Marcus Walker

Hey, Marcus ... now these are questions!

Where are we ... we are at exactly 9 degrees 50.293 minutes north of the equator, 104 degrees 17.646 minutes west of the Prime Meridian out in the middle of the Pacific. It’s a little rainy (Sunday, Oct. 28) and getting toward lunch.

Do I ever get bored .... not really. We are too busy to get bored. An average dive day starts at 05:30 AM for me and the guys. Our workday runs through the length of the dive ending after we recover Alvin, normally around seven or eight at night. Out here, there are no weekends and no days off even if the cruise is six weeks long. So next time you hear someone wishing for ‘Friday’ tell them about us.

Is it fun ... the work is very rewarding, often demanding, and can wear you out. After three months of work with only a handful of days off in port, we’re ready for some vacation time. I'll get eight weeks off in January. Fun is a relative term. Anyone can get tired of doing the same thing over and over. The key is to keep busy, learn new things to keep your mind sharp, and try to break up the routine.

What do I do for fun ... many things. Life on ship affords time to read, and we have a good library. We have no television (yeah!) but can select movies from our large selection of DVDs (20+ and growing). We have some decent workout equipment as well. I play guitar and spend my time reading and studying new things. Right now I’m reviewing the rules for flying so that I can pass my bi-annual flight review when I hit shore again. Oh yeah, we also dream about being on shore again, relaxing with our friends and doing
other fun things like surfing, diving, or skiing. Thanks for the questions.

Have you ever wanted to catch and eat any of the fish that you see? — Platt

Hi, Platt .... we often catch the zoarcid vent fish and turn them over to science for study, but I’ve never had the desire to eat one. Thanks for the question.

From the eighth grade class of Donna Kenestrick in Durham, North Carolina:

Ivory S.: Do the tubeworms ever capture fish?

Ivan M.: Are there any underwater plants near the vents?

Ivan M.: What kind of material is the Alvin made out of?

Ivory S.: Have you ever eaten any of the animals that live near the vents?

Megan C.: What inspired you to explore the bottom of the ocean?

Jessie R.: What is the largest animal you have encountered in your dives?

Hi, Ivory — Tubeworms are neither carnivores or herbivores ... they have large quantities of symbiotic bacteria that help them feed. The bacteria utilize the chemistry of the vent water, channelled to them by the tubeworm, to help them stay alive. Ivory again ... I never have eaten any animals, but I’ve witnessed scientists eating vent shrimp from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and have heard of others eating the vent clams....

Hello, Ivan — Around the vents there is no light. It’s completely dark. Plants require light to nourish themselves, and without light there can be no plants. Ivan again... Alvin is made of many different materials. Titanium gives Alvin strength, for the sphere and for the frame. Foam and fiberglass are used to make Alvin float and to protect the internal equipment. Other metals and plastics are used to make up all of the electrical, mechanical, and structural equipment and sensors. Our batteries are lead/acid cells that chemically create power for Alvin to use.

Hi, Megan — I ended up working for the Alvin group after finishing a degree in Ocean Engineering at Florida Atlantic University. I had also spent six years in the Navy where I learned to love the oceans. I’ve also worked as a dive master and a a diver on small boats in Florida. Diving showed me how amazing life in the oceans can be. But I guess I owe most of my interests in science and technology to my family. As I grew up I’d always had a questioning mind and would read magazines and watch programs that discussed all types of science and new technologies. I guess the real irony is that I never planned to be a member of the Alvin group. One night while searching the Internet for job openings, I found the posting for a position in the group. It sounded so interesting that I sent off my resume the next day and within six months I was hired. I’ve been here over five years now, and it’s been very rewarding.

Hi, Jessie — Although we know there are large animals in the oceans, whales and giant squid for example, the biggest animal I’ve seen at depth was a pair of silver grouper roaming near the “Lost City” complex we found last year. They were about two to two and a half feet long, not really that big even as far as grouper go.

Thanks for the questions.

Hi my name is Winnie and I am a junior at Episcopal High School. I was wondering if you ever get scared going down under water. What is your most exciting or interesting experience that you have had on board. Thanks so much for you time. Hope to hear back from you. Thanks — Winnie Simmons

Hi, Winnie —

We did an experiment where we put a package of minerals down on top of a hot vent, and then came back the next day and brought it back to the surface. When we looked at the mineral surfaces, bacteria had
already begun to colonize on them. We are doing this to look at how bacteria first establish themselves on minerals in these hot environments and what kinds of bacteria they are.

How long is the Pompeii worm, what does it look like, and what does it eat?

The average pompeii worm is 3 to 4 inches in length. The bacteria that live with it help it to survive. Check out the Web site to see what it looks like and how it lives.

Dear Dr. Peggy O'Day,

These questions come from some of the 6th graders in my Science class at Hillside Middle School in Manchester, NH. If you can try to answer a few of them, we would appreciate it. By the way, my students LOVED the expedition! — Thanks, Melissa Dion

1. How thick is the glass in the portholes on Alvin? — Stephanie Boisvert

2. Could the temperature in the deep sea ever get hot enough to make the water boil, even with the weight of the water above it? — Mary Moreau

3. Was “Godzilla” the tallest hydrothermal vent? If not, how tall was the tallest one? — Matt Paulson

4. Are there any animals that you have expected to see but have not found them yet? — Marlee Bruning

5. Would students (age 12 and up) be able to go on an underwater expedition with scientists? — Jessica McIntyre

6. Do you feel different when you go down deeper and deeper? If so, in what ways? — Alicia Doucet

7. Do Pompeii worms attack? — Justice McDaniel

(1) Hi, Stephanie — The Alvin pilots tell me that they are made of three-and-a-half-inch plexiglass.

(2) Hello, Mary — The hottest deep-sea vents found so far are about 400° Centigrade, and the weight of the overlying water is still enough to keep it from boiling. Below the surface of the seafloor, temperature
increases, but so does the pressure. Something very interesting happens to water beyond a certain temperature and pressure — it doesn’t boil at all! If you put enough pressure and temperature on
water, it doesn't separate into a gas and liquid. It simply stays as a single fluid that has properties somewhere in between a gas and a liquid (called a “supercritical” fluid). The water inside the Earth
is under enough pressure and at high enough temperature to be in this supercritical state.

(3) Hi, Matt — Godzilla was certainly one of the tallest chimneys ever found, but I don’t know if it holds the record. I’ll see if I can find out from the scientists who discovered it.

(4) Hello, Marlee — We are mostly studying organisms that have already been discovered to understand how they live in these environments. We are always on the look out for new things but haven’t found anything yet on this trip.

(5) Hi, Jessica — Probably not, but not because we don’t want you! The amount of money available for scientific research is very limited, and because there is only one Alvin, it’s difficult for scientists themselves to get time on these expeditions. However, we do have a number of college students here on board, so if you study science and math in school, you might find yourself on a research cruise someday.

(6) Hi, Alicia — Alvin is pressurized just like any submarine, so you don’t feel much different inside. It just gets very dark outside once you get below the surface to a depth where light cannot penetrate.

(7) Hi, Justice — We’ve never seen Pompeii worms attack anything — they don’t move around too much.

Hi Dr. O’Day,

I’m Austin with the Clayton School, and I’d like to know how thick the hydrothermal vents chimneys are. Thanks for a great adventure! — Austin Clayton, Ft. Collins, Colorado

Hi Austin —

Hydrothermal vents vary a lot in thickness, depending on how old they are and how vigorously they are flowing. When they first form, they are very small and fluffy, maybe only a few centimeters thick. With time, they precipitate different minerals that tend to make them stronger and harder, and can grow to be very large. Most of the chimneys at this site are relatively young and thin, less than a centimeter to a few centimeters thick.

What is the most interesting thing that you have helped discover at the hydrothermal vents and what is it like discovering something brand new? — Whitney Meeds, Royal Palm Beach High School, Florida

Hello, Whitney —

Every time Alvin goes down, people see new things. We have explored only a very small amount of the ocean floor and don’t really know much about the organisms living there. The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface and not much of it has been explored — it’s exciting and there’s a lot to learn about the geology, chemistry, and biology of the deep oceans.

Hello, how are you on this fine day? I have a few questions for you.

1) Why did you decide to go on this expedition?

2) What does the bottom of the ocean look like?

3) Do you think that your finding will change anything we do in our daily lives?

4) Do you think that any thing you are doing and the tools you are using could have been changed by things people have just thought up? — Nate Cannon, AZ Masa Skyline High School

Hi, Nate, everything is great out here.

(1) It’s a very special opportunity to go on an Alvin cruise. There’s only one Alvin and there’s not much money for science research, so it’s difficult for scientists to go on these kinds of expeditions. I’m very lucky to be on this cruise.

(2) The bottom of the ocean is very dark, much too deep for any sunlight to penetrate, so Alvin needs very bright lights to see anything.

(3) It’s very hard to predict what will come out of the science we do on a daily basis. Very often, it takes many years of research before we understand things enough to draw new conclusions. Other times, a
breakthrough may come quickly. Some of the scientists on this cruise are looking at the DNA and RNA from the microorganisms that Alvin brings back. It’s possible that these might be used in the development of new drugs or specialized bacteria for cleaning up toxic wastes, for example, but we don’t really know yet.

(4) Science and technology go hand in hand. As we try to understand the science of hydrothermal systems, we realize that we need new ways to look at them and make measurements. So we are constantly working with engineers to develop new tools and technology to help us make better
measurements or different kinds of measurements, which then can lead to new scientific discoveries.

Hi! We are two students from the Chesapeake Bay Governor's School. We were wondering how you became interested in geochemistry. Has studying the ocean floor changed your life? — Rachel Sullivan and Ashley Williams, Warsaw, Virginia

Hi, Rachel and Ashley! —

I’ve always like science and math in school, and I particularly liked studying the Earth (and doing a lot of camping). I was a geology major in college and looked at rocks (and did a lot of rock climbing). But I liked chemistry too, and was interested in environmental issues, so I began to study the chemistry of the
environment in graduate school. Now my research is split between environmental chemistry, studying toxic metals in soils and sediments and trying to figure out how to make them less hazardous, and the hydrothermal chimney chemistry you’ve been reading about. I really enjoy traveling to different parts of the planets to study chemistry and geology, and the bottom of the ocean is a pretty exciting place to go.

I have a question about how you bring back your samples from the deep ocean. Our teacher explained to us that you're not able to bring up all new specimens that you find because of the pressure difference. I was wondering why you just don’t put them in a pressurized container, and then instead of just
opening the container in a regular lab, why don't you open it in a pressurized lab with some sort of special suit for the scientists? Thank you. — Tyffany McIntyre

Hello, Tiffany —

We have some special boxes that we put the creatures in at the bottom that preserves them, but we don’t try to keep them alive. It is too difficult on the surface to recreate the extreme presssure and temperature of the environment that they live in. There have been a few experiments to grow tubeworms in a special tank on the surface, but it is very difficult. Fortunately, we can look at and culture the bacteria and microorganisms that come up because many of them are not very affected by the change in pressure.

Hi crew,
I’m Hannah in the 6th grade at Kulshan Middle School and I just wanted to know what is your favorite thing so far going down or if your not in the ocean. Then what do you think your going to see while you go down. Thank you for your time answering my question.

Hi Hannah —

My favorite thing to look at are the hydrothermal chimneys and the different structures they make. The minerals that make up the chimneys are very interesting and can tell you a lot about the history of the structure and how it formed.

Dear DR.Peggy O’Day,
HI my name is Melanie from Howell, New Jersey.I would like to ask you some questions. When ever you go down in the ocean do you get scared?Why or why not? Do you ever see the same thing twice when you go down in the ocean? Well thank you for your time and have a good day. — Howell Middle School North

Hello my name is Billy and I'm from Royal Palm high school, and I’m a junior, and I have a question for you. I have my scuba certification and you know that every 50 ft. is equal to 1 dry martini (martini's law). Would anything similar too that happen to you in the vessel? I know that you aren’t breathing on scuba but what exactly are you breathing? And do you feel any different when you go that deep?, because when I dive like 100 – 130 ft. it has a big effect on me. Thank you. — Billy Weatherholt

Hello again, I have another question, with all of the research you’re doing do you think its possible for life on Europa? If so would you give your information to NASA or the government or something, that would be really cool. I really love Marine Biology that's what I want to be when I grow up. I don’t know about all of the deep stuff but that would be really cool, and I think the research you’re doing is going to help a lot of people, they just don’t know it. Thanks again. — Billy Weatherholt

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.

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.

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!!).

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

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

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

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

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

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, 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.

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!!

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, 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!!

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!

How deep do you go in the Alvin?

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

I am a fifth-grade student, and my class is studying about the deep sea and hydrothermal vents and about the mission. I would like to ask you these questions: (1) What is Alvin made of? (like metal or titanium. (2) How do marine animals adapt to their environment?

Joni, Princess Nahi'ena'ena Elementary School, Lahaina, Hawaii

Dear Joni,

The actual sphere that houses the scientists and pilot in Alvin is made of very thick titanium metal. This metal is used primarily to withstand the extreme pressure that occurs in the deep ocean where Alvin does most of its work.

Marine animals that live at the hydrothermal vents have three major, physical things to worry about ... extreme temperatures (hot and cold), extreme pressure, and toxic chemicals from the vents. They have special proteins in their bodies that help them deal with the temperatures and pressure (a lot of ongoing research on this cruise is dedicated to finding out more information about those proteins). To help them live in the toxic environment that engulfs the vents, most of these animals have bacteria that live inside of them that break down the chemicals that would ordinarily be harmful.

Are you the only African-American on-board? How hard was it for you to reach your career goals? What is your specialty/major in college? — Curtis Thomas, Sussex Central High School, Georgetown, DE

Dear Curtis,

Yes, I am the only African-American on board the Atlantis. It was not difficult achieving my career goals, because with a God-given determination, I decided to let nothing stop me from getting to where I
am. It also helped that I had a family who encouraged me to chase my dreams. My undergraduate education was in Biology. My graduate studies are focused on the recruitment and patch dynamics of blue crab larvae and post-larvae in the Delaware Bay.

What is it really like to exist in a submersible with three other people and so much equipment when the sub isn’t very big to begin with?

Gateway Regional 7th Grade Science class, Woodbury Heights, NJ

Dear Gateway Regional,

You really do not even think about the fact that you are in such a small space with all of that equipment, because there is so much going on outside that you are focused on (all the chimneys, animals, rock
formations, etc.). I guess you just keep telling yourself that it is only an 8-hour trip tops, so you might as well make the most of it.

Hi Mr. Brandon,

How are you doing? It has been a while since we last met. I hope we can get together soon so that you can tell me all about your hydrothermal vent trip. Before then, I’d like to ask you a few questions. Are vent crabs good to eat? Have you tried them? What do tubeworms feel like? Have a fantastic cruise! — Cody Q. Rowe (5 yrs. old), Newville, PA, and Columbia, MD

Dear Cody,

Good to hear from you, buddy! Personally I have never eaten any vent crabs. I really do not think anyone could eat a vent crab because they would probably taste like sulfur, and that is just bad all the way around. Now, I have touched a tubeworm, and they kind of feel like giant kielbasa sausages, except they are not smooth, but kind of rough and fleshy. Thanks for those great questions and make sure you tell your parents I said hello. — Brandon

When you are bringing things up from the ocean floor, how do you keep them from exploding? There is a HUGE pressure change and the animals can’t adapt that quickly. — 9th Grade Westford Academy Student

Most of the organisms that we bring back do not live, and they do not explode. As a matter of fact, the crabs and giant tubeworms can be kept alive once back on the surface if they are immediately placed in
pressure aquaria aboard ship.

Is there a way to go fishing down there? (like stick a pole out a hole?)

There is no way to go hook-and-line fishing at the vents. Besides, you would not want to eat anything you caught anyway.