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December 18, 2003

 Ship Shape The objects in these photographs all have something to do with the R/V Atlantis. Unscramble the letters below each picture to identify the object. Click below to find the answers.


Alvin encounters a large and well-formed “beehive” during its first dive of the expedition at 13°N. Beehives are active parts of a hydrothermal vent where smoke is visibly spewing from all sides, rather than from some central opening.

 

 

A Styrofoam cup is placed in the high-pressure aquarium aboard Atlantis to simulate the shrinking effect that increasing pressure has on our souvenir cups when we send them to the depths of the ocean. However, since this tank is enclosed, all the air forced out of the cups is unable to escape fully. Therefore, when the pressure is decreased again, some of that air is forced back into the cup, and it regains some of its original size.

 

 

Check out these photos, which have been transmitted to the University of Delaware from the R/V Atlantis.

 
Mark and Gavin (the swimmers for this morning’s launch) bid the observers farewell just before Bruce closes the hatch.
The seafloor here at 13°N looks a bit different than at the previous site.
Alvin gets to work taking Sipper (discrete water) samples from the worm colonies.
The tubeworms are covered in tiny limpets (a type of snail).

There is also another visitor in the colony. Can you spot the octopus?


Alvin reaches for one of the pillars.
Colleen diligently takes notes to record the dive activities.
After several hours at the bottom, Anthony finally radios to the ship that they are ready to ascend.
Jay prepares the high-pressure aquarium for our cup shrinking simulation.

Here’s a look at the cup before and after, though it was considerably smaller in the tank at 1500 psi (see movie for further details).

Alvin has a rocky recovery today due to the winds and surges.


Paul (3rd Engineer), Craig (1st Mate), and Bruce (Alvin pilot) were on today’s recovery team in Avon.

Andrea siphons water from the biobox with Tara’s assistance.
A bag full of Styrofoam cups goes to more than 2,500 meters deep on the CTD during its final deployment of the expedition.


 

Copyright University of Delaware, November 2003