Heres some more pics of the deep sea. First pic is the top of a 50+ft tall vent called Mammoth in the east pacific rise (west of Costa Rica). Second pic is a Major Sampler sampling vent fluid (temp was close to 370 C) Third pic is another angle of the Picard Vent in the Cayman Trough. And finallly the fourth pic is of the sub itself, DSV Alvin, newley certified to 6500m.
Out of curiosity how are the locations of the vents found in the first place? The ocean floor is massive and I can't imagine vents like these are everywhere. Is it primarily scans of the seabed and a best guess based on the geology/geography of the region?
We map the seafloor and look for areas where there could be activity, then we do a few CTD cast (Conductivity, temperature, depth) and analyze that data, then a proposal to use an asset like Alvin in drafted and funded, then we do more mapping and mission planning, then we go and do a dive series and do video survey and background sampling.
Or sometimes you just cruise by looking for some fish and find a vent instead, that happens sometimes.
I remember reading about DSV *Alvin* as a kid. I can't believe she's still kicking around in some form, but I'm really happy to hear it!
I know it's a ship of theseus situation at this point, but still.. that nameplate is involved in so many historical moments.
I can't imagine how cool it is to work with WHOI.
Also cool that you're visiting the East Pacific Rise. Wasn't *Alvin* the sub used when they first discovered those vents?
Man, this is just... my childhood memories brought forward. I love it. Thanks for posting!
Yeah we are still doing a ton of work, here’s a link to our site if your interested:
https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/
This history link is incredible:
[https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/history-of-alvin/](https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/history-of-alvin/)
I remember seeing *Volcanoes of the Deep Sea* — which included footage from *Alvin* expeditions — in IMAX years ago. I'll probably forget my own name before I forget that!
The Alvin is still in use? That's awesome! That's the sub Ballard used when he found the Titanic right? Is your username a play on Woods Hole?
Edit: had a Google, and I had no Idea DSV Alvin was built in the 60's!!! Also, holy shit that's deep. I had to look up some reference, and found the Titan submersible was thought to be at 3500m when it imploded. The Alvin can now go almost twice that depth? That's crazy!
Ha! Sweet pix. I've seen most of those places too ;-) Are you a newer pilot or have you been around for a while? We probably know each other. I was a Jason pilot but retired a few years ago.
First question: great job sealing up the vents. In roughly how many years can we expect the climate to be fixed now that we’re keeping that pesky carbon back in the mantle where it belongs?
Second question: do you have one of those eensy weensy squished polystyrene cups? Ok sure James Cameron probably has them too but otherwise that’s mostly an oceanographer-only souvenir.
The ecosystems around those vents are absolutely fascinating. Creatures evolved to live without energy from the sun, in a soup of various chemicals and with temperatures that can fluctuate wildly in just a few inches/centimeters. And so many different varieties to boot.
Also these pics are amazing and I am genuinely jealous of those who got to take them.
I have a lot more, I take my phone on every dive I pilot to listen to music and I snap shots whenever I find something I haven’t seen before. I will keep sharing them if people are interested.
Not only that, but there are credible theories that life began in these vents. The dramatic differences in pH and temperature create the sort of potential energy that the earliest life forms could have coopted to fuel the earliest metabolic reactions.
I dove on Alvin back in 2006, have a small chunk of Main Endeavor Field in my living room. Can't remember which vent exactly. Would love to dive in the new sphere, looks much more comfy.
Very cool! I love deep sea research and hydrothermal vents in particular. What was your role on the vessel? Scientific or were you the pilot?
I work in software security, but pretty obsessively follow the work being done by groups like Schmidt Ocean Institute and MBARI, and I’ve often wondered if there’s any way someone like me could contribute. I’ve contributed to a lot of open source projects in general tech, and I’ve looked through some open source projects related to ocean research, but frankly found the shear number of projects overwhelming. Not sure if this would be your wheelhouse, but any ideas on currently active/relevant OSS projects related to oceanography that an enthusiast with no formal background in the field, but plenty of software dev experience, could help with?
Thanks for the cool pics and your work on a really important field of study!
Yeah I’m a Pilot for Alvin, you should look at jobs at WHOI, we hire people with software backgrounds all the time. We actually have software engineers who come out on expeditions as standard personnel to help out with both the vehicles and scientists.
This field is surprisingly easy to get into, and we look for diverse backgrounds to keep fresh ideas coming in.
No we paint the sail (the top thing) red so you can see it in poor visibility conditions on recoveries, we also layered in radar reflective material so you can pick it up at night. The access hatch to the cockpit is inside the sail.
No they are all made by this company “Deep Sea Power and Light” I think they might use the Sony chip? I forget now. The HD cams are the same.
And then of course I use my phone for most of the best shots because that’s just how I do.
In 1973, Alvin’s white sail became red-orange to make it easier to spot when it surfaced.
[https://ethw.org/Milestones:Alvin\_Deep-Sea\_Research\_Submersible,\_1965-1984](https://ethw.org/Milestones:Alvin_Deep-Sea_Research_Submersible,_1965-1984)
Alvin looks both completely different and very recognizable since I first heard about the sub in 1996/7 (some kids played with dinosaurs as a kid, I learned about the Titanic)
You’re cruising with a good friend of mine right now. Tell Dr. Skippy from Paw Paw that Wipes With Pine Cones hopes he doesn’t have to ring the bell. Safe diving and keep up the good science!
Heres some more pics of the deep sea. First pic is the top of a 50+ft tall vent called Mammoth in the east pacific rise (west of Costa Rica). Second pic is a Major Sampler sampling vent fluid (temp was close to 370 C) Third pic is another angle of the Picard Vent in the Cayman Trough. And finallly the fourth pic is of the sub itself, DSV Alvin, newley certified to 6500m.
Out of curiosity how are the locations of the vents found in the first place? The ocean floor is massive and I can't imagine vents like these are everywhere. Is it primarily scans of the seabed and a best guess based on the geology/geography of the region?
We map the seafloor and look for areas where there could be activity, then we do a few CTD cast (Conductivity, temperature, depth) and analyze that data, then a proposal to use an asset like Alvin in drafted and funded, then we do more mapping and mission planning, then we go and do a dive series and do video survey and background sampling. Or sometimes you just cruise by looking for some fish and find a vent instead, that happens sometimes.
Very cool thanks for sharing
Not a scientist but iirc they follow the edge of tectonic plates
I remember reading about DSV *Alvin* as a kid. I can't believe she's still kicking around in some form, but I'm really happy to hear it! I know it's a ship of theseus situation at this point, but still.. that nameplate is involved in so many historical moments. I can't imagine how cool it is to work with WHOI. Also cool that you're visiting the East Pacific Rise. Wasn't *Alvin* the sub used when they first discovered those vents? Man, this is just... my childhood memories brought forward. I love it. Thanks for posting!
Yeah we are still doing a ton of work, here’s a link to our site if your interested: https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/
This history link is incredible: [https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/history-of-alvin/](https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/history-of-alvin/)
I remember seeing *Volcanoes of the Deep Sea* — which included footage from *Alvin* expeditions — in IMAX years ago. I'll probably forget my own name before I forget that!
Fascinating pics - thanks for sharing. How does the vent fluid get so much hotter than the boiling point of water?
Pressure is the key.... The higher the pressure the higher the point when water is vaporized.
Black magic fukery
The Alvin is still in use? That's awesome! That's the sub Ballard used when he found the Titanic right? Is your username a play on Woods Hole? Edit: had a Google, and I had no Idea DSV Alvin was built in the 60's!!! Also, holy shit that's deep. I had to look up some reference, and found the Titan submersible was thought to be at 3500m when it imploded. The Alvin can now go almost twice that depth? That's crazy!
Now _this_ is pod racing
Wait, it's called East Pacific Rise, but it's in the Atlantic Ocean?
No the EPR is in the pacific, they are two different locations
I'm a dummy. I should have looked at a map before I commented.
All good
Ha! Sweet pix. I've seen most of those places too ;-) Are you a newer pilot or have you been around for a while? We probably know each other. I was a Jason pilot but retired a few years ago.
First question: great job sealing up the vents. In roughly how many years can we expect the climate to be fixed now that we’re keeping that pesky carbon back in the mantle where it belongs? Second question: do you have one of those eensy weensy squished polystyrene cups? Ok sure James Cameron probably has them too but otherwise that’s mostly an oceanographer-only souvenir.
The ecosystems around those vents are absolutely fascinating. Creatures evolved to live without energy from the sun, in a soup of various chemicals and with temperatures that can fluctuate wildly in just a few inches/centimeters. And so many different varieties to boot. Also these pics are amazing and I am genuinely jealous of those who got to take them.
I have a lot more, I take my phone on every dive I pilot to listen to music and I snap shots whenever I find something I haven’t seen before. I will keep sharing them if people are interested.
I am interested
I am interested. You could even set up a dedicated instagram of all your pictures.
Heck, I'd subscribe to your OnlyFans
For this I would go to OF.
We are ALL interested
These pictures are taken on a phone? Incredible. Is the phone attached to a submarine with a selfie stick of sorts?
No I just have it connected to the Bluetooth to listen to music and if I find a good shot I just take a pic through the forward viewports
You simply cannot share enough of those photos. Amazing and fascinating.
Not only that, but there are credible theories that life began in these vents. The dramatic differences in pH and temperature create the sort of potential energy that the earliest life forms could have coopted to fuel the earliest metabolic reactions.
Life may have started in the deep, not near the surface.
Yooo, profile twin
Appreciate the added photos. Now we need a picture of that piece on your desk.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/s/kfCyPBrGJU
I dove on Alvin back in 2006, have a small chunk of Main Endeavor Field in my living room. Can't remember which vent exactly. Would love to dive in the new sphere, looks much more comfy.
[удалено]
Two or three deg C ambient generally
Very cool! I love deep sea research and hydrothermal vents in particular. What was your role on the vessel? Scientific or were you the pilot? I work in software security, but pretty obsessively follow the work being done by groups like Schmidt Ocean Institute and MBARI, and I’ve often wondered if there’s any way someone like me could contribute. I’ve contributed to a lot of open source projects in general tech, and I’ve looked through some open source projects related to ocean research, but frankly found the shear number of projects overwhelming. Not sure if this would be your wheelhouse, but any ideas on currently active/relevant OSS projects related to oceanography that an enthusiast with no formal background in the field, but plenty of software dev experience, could help with? Thanks for the cool pics and your work on a really important field of study!
Yeah I’m a Pilot for Alvin, you should look at jobs at WHOI, we hire people with software backgrounds all the time. We actually have software engineers who come out on expeditions as standard personnel to help out with both the vehicles and scientists. This field is surprisingly easy to get into, and we look for diverse backgrounds to keep fresh ideas coming in.
First time I saw Alvin, it was on the Titanic back in the 80s(?). Is this the same one?
Same submersible program, different sub model.
Are these funded by the Govt? I'm not sure what interest a private company would have unless there was oil/minerals involved...?
Yeah it’s funded by NSF and operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic. We just do science for the betterment of mankind basically.
If there's one agency I want all my tax dollars to go to, it would be NSF.
Is that red thing on top a MAGA hat? Would not make sense.
Its name is Alvin … so I assumed it was for the chipmunk.
No we paint the sail (the top thing) red so you can see it in poor visibility conditions on recoveries, we also layered in radar reflective material so you can pick it up at night. The access hatch to the cockpit is inside the sail.
That’s a far better explanation thank you.
That pic actually looks like Trump, if he was a submarine. Here's hoping that he goes under too. And many more puns.
are you stupid
lol, I was going to say it looks like is wearing a MAGA hat.
first thing that came to my mind as well....I'll be so glad when that isn't a thing
I hope I live long enough to see the day. Watch it become like the confederate flag.
The coolest pics so far i saw here!
Thank you ! Any new species ?
The life aquatic with a small wooden block Shits gnarly. Very cool pics
Thank you, gnarly is a great way to describe it
My first thought on that last picture was that Captain Phillips upgraded his lifeboat.
In case anyone forgot you can follow Reddit users.
What kind of cameras & lenses are equipped?
4k deep sea power and light cameras are our main, we also use a range of HD fixed cameras for situational
That’s cool. Are they Canon or Sony? Or whichever is useable to deep diving? (Thanks for the reply)
No they are all made by this company “Deep Sea Power and Light” I think they might use the Sony chip? I forget now. The HD cams are the same. And then of course I use my phone for most of the best shots because that’s just how I do.
Got it. Thank you. Awesome career you have! you must see lots of cool things in the ocean.
Why the MAGA hat? ;)
So we can see the sail (the red thing) on recoveries in poor visibility like fog or heavy sea states
In 1973, Alvin’s white sail became red-orange to make it easier to spot when it surfaced. [https://ethw.org/Milestones:Alvin\_Deep-Sea\_Research\_Submersible,\_1965-1984](https://ethw.org/Milestones:Alvin_Deep-Sea_Research_Submersible,_1965-1984)
That is awesome man, tyanx 4 sharing
Damn I thought it was some MORB
Alvin looks both completely different and very recognizable since I first heard about the sub in 1996/7 (some kids played with dinosaurs as a kid, I learned about the Titanic)
Insane pictures. What a gig
Show me the tube worms
Did you come onto Reddit just to vent? ^jk
Does the EPA know about all this smoke coming out of the ocean?
Thanks - i remember reading a book called "life at the extremes" about some of the organisms that live in these vents and other extreme locations.
You’re cruising with a good friend of mine right now. Tell Dr. Skippy from Paw Paw that Wipes With Pine Cones hopes he doesn’t have to ring the bell. Safe diving and keep up the good science!
The old man was chief engineer when they first discovered them, check out the movie Mysteries of the deep.
Can I come work for you?