2003
RAS intake funnel and temperature probe over an anhydrite chimney
at Virgin vent. The chimney did not exist when the funnel was originally
placed on the seafloor.
After
arriving at Axial volcano, ROPOS dive R853 explored the ASHES vent field
in the caldera. The first task was to locate the RAS instrument that has
been deployed since last summer at Virgin vent. The RAS stands for "remote
access sampler" and it is capable of taking vent fluid samples automatically
or on command through out the year, while we are not here. ROPOS found
a small chimney had grown underneath the RAS's fluid intake funnel since
last year, almost reaching the top of funnel. Hot hydrothermal fluid could
be observed going into the funnel. After taking many digital images, the
RAS was prepared for recovery by stowing the funnel onto the RAS. Recovery
of the RAS is planned for tomorrow.
Dive
853 also visited Gollum, Marshmallow, Inferno, Hell and Crack vents where
a number of high and low temperature fluid samples were taken. At Inferno,
a large collection of limpets was obtained using the suction sampler and
ROPOS retrieved a sulfide chimney from Hell vent for microbiological analysis
on the ship.
