Dive Log October 31, 2002

October 31, 2002

Date: 10/31/02
Pilot: Tony Tarantino
Port Observer: Dr. Craig Taylor
Starboard Observer: Stefan Sievert


GMT	X	Y	Depth (meters)	Site	Temp (°C)	Description
Descent @ 14:15
14:27			700			Tested Sipper pump, and at 700 m tested AMS (Autonomous Microbial Sampler) for function and grounds — all OK.
15:20	4723	78251	2506	Somewhere near Bio9		Arrival at bottom, trimming of Alvin, misc. checks.
15:30:00				"		Began looking for "the elevator."
15:31:00				"		Started recording tapes.
15:33:00	4714	78207	2504	"		Sited elevator.
15:37:00	*4896	*79331	"	"		Ships fix () on our location (compare with our fix above). There was a discrepancy in position between the Alvin's* and the ship's fixes. Began to move the elevator to Bio 9.
15:40:00	?	?	~2504	"		We continue to encounter difficulty with navigational discrepancy between Alvin and ship. Alvin's nav. may be offset. No structures or vents to help locate us.
15:58:00	4645	78025	2503			Vent sited.
	4620	78035	2503			Marker 3, 4, 5 sited.
16:16:00	4627	78023	2503	Bio9		Sited Dave. Arrival at Bio9.
16:20	4624	77994	2510	Neo-Fish Hole		Arrival at Neo-Fish Hole
16:38	4627	77992	2510	~5–7 m south Neo-Fish Hole.		Identify site south of Neo-Fish Hole and begin operations to deploy LVWS (Large Volume Water Sampler).
17:13	4625	77994	2511	"	80–93°	LVWS wand in place for sampling. Temperatures measured with high temperature probe to be between 80–93° C.
17:15:00	4625	77994	2511	"		Purged the LVWS.
17:19:00	4625	77994	2511	"		Begin taking LVWS sample. Then moved on to Neo-Fish Hole for AMS sampling.
17:34:00	4629	77995	2511	Neo-Fish Hole	~10°	Took AMS sample, position #1. AMS temp ~10°C, but temp. probe erratic. Volume of sample taken 310 ml. Initial filtration rate 100 ml/min, decreased to 55 ml/min at the end of sampling. All AMS caps were ripped off during deployment of wand. Alvin ground check revealed a hard ground. Pilot diagnosed ground by turning off most Alvin power. The most significant ground was tracked to the Alvin computer system that was hooked to AMS. AMS was switched to laptop, and ground problems were significantly reduced. AMS still had a ground but since it was known not to be in Alvin penetrator, permission was given to continue to use AMS. Tracking down the ground problems took ~30–45 min. to resolve.
18:23:00	4629	77995	2511	Neo-Fish Hole		AMS sample, position #2. Volume of sample taken 273 ml, final flow rate 42 ml/min (initial flow rate 100 ml/min). After sample taken, Alvin returns to LVWS site to release elevator.
18:34:00	4627	77988	2511	~5–7 m south Neo-Fish Hole.		Pump of LVWS is stopped.
18:38:00	"	"		~5–7 m south Neo-Fish Hole.		Elevator is released and rises to surface. Because of time constraints we opt not to go to P Vent to sample "sulfur spire."
				Bio9		Alvin returns to Bio9 to retrieve black smoker chimney. During the search for black smokers, a site for the deployment of the Fourplay (FP) is discovered.
	4637	77947	2503	Bio9	Upper limit 150–250°C	Location of potential FP deployment. A diffuse-flow site (beehive?) was identified that had good flow and was apparently hot. The high-temperature probe was deployed and yielded a rapidly fluctuating temperature, the highest ranging between 150–250°C. It was decided that this would be a good FP deployment site and preparations were made for taking Sipper samples, one on top and one on side.
19:09:00	4638	77946	2503	Bio9		Sipper pump turned on for longer than 1 min. Sipper temperatures were monitored to find an appropriate location for sample. During maneuvering, the Sipper created a black smoker and temperature suddenly shot up to ~300°C. Sipper quickly withdrawn. The site was no longer appropriate for FP deployment. Another beehive-like object was nearby but could not be reached by the Alvin arm.
	4632	77947	2503	Bio9		Attempted to retrieve a black smoker sample, but it was inaccessible to Alvin arm.
				From Bio9		Motor to Q Vent to deploy FP as top priority, and if time permitted, to sample Alvinella.
	4623	77978		??		When motoring to Q Vent, power becomes an issue. Also, navigational discrepancy between Alvin and ship's fixes makes it difficult to determine location of Q Vent. Alvin fix says that Q Vent was 200 yards N; ship says that we passed vent. Moot point as power limitations required that we leave the bottom.
20:03:00	4451	78660	2502	??		Weights away.