Daily Journal December 8, 2003


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December 8, 2003

Alvin disturbs a deep-sea crab (it swims backwards) as the sub starts its collection of clams. The clams will be piled on top of a box already filled with clusters of mussels.

Watch the tubeworms release a cloud of reproductive cells. Swarming above the worms is a group of amphipods that may be feeding on the cells, which lessens the chances of survival to fertilization.

The Z-drive is where the main propellers are for the research vessel Atlantis. See a part of it in action.

Check out these photos, which have been transmitted to the University of Delaware from the R/V Atlantis. We also have additional photos posted from yesterday's Alvin dive. Don't miss the view out Alvin's porthole!

Alvin's thruster was damaged yesterday during the rough recovery�.

�But it�s as good as new today!

Craig Dickson (2nd Mate) addresses us during the 2nd fire and boat drill. We have one more scheduled for next week.

Jeff Little (Chief Engineer) gives some of us a tour of the Engine Room.

A clinometer is used to indicate the balance of the ship. The air bubble moves left or right if the boat sways off center.

Down in the actual Engine Room (below the Control Room), the noise levels are extraordinarily high. So we all had to wear earplugs or earmuffs to block out the sound. At this point, it was much more difficult for Jeff to explain everything we saw.

A series of pumps help direct all the necessary fluids through the engine of the ship.

There is a separate series of pipes and tanks to filter water for drinking.

This hatch is in position directly under Alvin�s hangar. It can be opened if Alvin needs to be serviced from underneath.

Frank handles a large piece of basalt (chimney rock) that was brought up in today�s samples. It will be broken apart and analyzed.

A �Three-Ball Rack� contains glass balls covered by hard plastic. It is used for flotation to pull up the elevator � a basket that can take sampling equipment/devices down to the seafloor and back to the surface.

Here are some additional images from yesterday's
Alvin dive — Dive #3948 (December 7)

Alvin loads lots of deep-sea clams into a �biobox.�

Active hydrothermal vent chimney (black smoker).

�Deep-sea snowstorm� over a bed of Riftia tubeworms. The white cloud is a group of amphipods.

Wand �sips� water samples from a vent.

Monster in the deep? No, the lasers are being used to measure the width of a potential vent rock sample. It looks a little scary at first, though!

Look at that chimney steam!

Alvin drives over a deep crevice along the seafloor.

The pilot uses Alvin�s �claws� to push down the seal of an �Artie� chamber before pumping it full of RNA Later.

Joe is all smiles during his first Alvin dive.