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Dive Number: 3955
December 14, 2003

Pilot: Tony Tarantino
Port Observer: Peter Countway
Starboard Observer: Kristy Henscheid


14:03 Submerged, many jellyfish in surface waters.

14:08 110 m

14:13 260 m, Beginning “drive” toward site bottom target, heading 55–65°

14:23 500 m, Tested Sipper and temp probe for function, all ok.

14:31 725 m, heading 90°

14:39 Switch to sub-bottom transducer.

14:43 1000 m

14:58 1500 m

15:15 2000 m, 70 m from target, driving East to avoid Bio-Vent

15:30 2400 m, 1.8°C external temp.

15:32 Arrival at bottom, attaining neutral buoyancy.

15:38 Begin search for elevator, heading 180°.

15:43 Located INSECT Elevator, X 4698, Y 78037, 2503 m.

15:48 Begin tapes.

15:56 Attaining neutral buoyancy after picking up the INSECT Elevator.

15:59 Moving to TICA with elevator, heading 310–320.

16:05 Dumbo Octopus.

16:13 Dropped elevator near Tica, within several meters of DLK INSECT.

16:26 Spotted Shank colonizers near DLK INSECT X 4576, Y 78159, 2513 m, began colonizer collection.

16:31 Finish collection of Shank colonizers (A-E), did not find F.

16:52 Found Riftia baby traps (all collected), and Protist Cans (both collected), X 4590, Y 78131, 2511 m 3-chip at 16:52 and digital stills at 16:53.

17:13 Fly-over main Riftia clump at Tica. Fired Niskin bottle, X 4574, Y 78161, 2512 m

17:21 Began work at INSECT, X 4581, Y 78159, 2513 m, set up for Sipper samples at the end of each copper probe.

17:24 Sipper sample #1 collected at starboard-side INSECT probe (Red), temperature = 10–12.4°C in Riftia tube.

17:33 Starboard-side electrode knocked out of tube.

17:36 Sipper sample #2 collected at port-side, INSECT probe (Yellow), temperature = 7–8°C in Riftia tube.

17:41 Sipper sample #3 collected at the base of the Riftia clump in region of highest temperature flux = 19.5°C.

17:48 Digital stills and 3-chip survey of Riftia clump and DLK INSECT ends; tapes changed.

17:55 Collected Riftia from starboard (Red) DLK INSECT probe, stowed in forward chamber of Bio-Box.

17:57 Collected Riftia from port (Yellow) DLK INSECT probe, stowed in forward chamber of Bio-Box.

17:59 Copper tubes folded back on top of the INSECT.

18:05 Begin attaching floats to DLK INSECT.

18:12 Positioning elevator and INSECT for release.

18:24 INSECT package sent to surface, X 4575, Y 78157, 2112 m.

18:26 Began transit to Q-Vent for Alvenellid collection (approx. 600–700 m).

19:10 Arrived Q-vent, X 4397, Y 78767, 2505 m, pilot informed science that power was running low, approx. 40 minutes remaining in dive, positioning for temp/Sipper survey.

19:21 Began temp survey, Sipper #4 collected.

19:25 Temp probe bent against substrate into an L-shape, pilot attempted a fix, but was unsuccessful, time running low, aborted temp survey and Alvinellid sampling due to damaged probe.

19:33 Began survey for ASU pancake deployment at Q-vent, collected small sulfide, but temp of scar (95–150°C) wasn’t suitable for placement of unit.

19:36 Second sulfide chimney probed, approx. 250°C water, Sipper sample #5 collected, sulfide collected in small Bio-Box.

19:39 Sipper sample #6 collected from scar.

19:40 ASU unit deployed “Four Play.”

19:43 Temp from top of unit (33°C), Sipper #7 (only time to pump for 30 sec.).

19:44 Temp from side of unit (48°C), sipper #8 (only time to pump for 30 sec.).

19:45 Out of time, moving to drop weights.

19:47 Weights away.

21:20 Surface

 

 

Copyright University of Delaware, November 2003