Alvin Dive 3350 Transcript by Eric Bergmanis

Alvin Dive 3350 Transcript

Starboard Observer - Eric Bergmanis

February 9, 1999

Port Observer - Ken Rubin

Pilot - "Buddha" Bob Waters

Time Hdg. Depth Description

0800 Launch

0830 1090 Commencing Maggie spin

0923 183 2707 On bottom, pillows with moderate dusting of sediment

0924 185 2705 Pillows with significant sediment cover, some 2-3 meters long if I understand scale correctly. Pockets of sediment accumulated between pillows. Distinct striations on pillows, and many are ornamented with pillow buds. No reflectance from glassy surfaces visible.

0928 184 2728 Similar terrain. Looking around for a place to sample.

0931 275 2729 Still looking for place to sample. Getting acquainted with pan-n-tilt camera.

0935 Stop 2731 Stopped for sample 1 attempt.

0936 Stop 2731 At sample site, when stopped can see a little shiny vitreous glass through sediment cover. Right here pillows are transitional to lobate morphology. Some broken fragments of lobate crust visible.

0941 204 2728 Having hard time sampling, very brittle, similar pillow to lobate terrain with sediment cover.

0946 Stop 2738 Sample 3350-1 in bin #4, lobate crust 15-20 cm long, 8-10 cm thick, roughly triangular piece.

0952 From ship: Range 40 meters and bearing 037 to waypoint 2.

0956 072 2723 Same terrain, pillows transitional to lobate, moderate sediment cover with some shiny glass visible.

0958 075 2715 Gentle uphill slope, similar terrain, here some pillows are elongate and more tube-like, some are broken and show "spillout" morphology. Have not crossed any readily apparent contacts between geologic units since touchdown. Pillows here slightly less ornamented with buds.

1006 070 2690 Crested first bump on transect WP1-WP2, similar pillow to lobate terrain.

1009 070 2705 On course as far as I can tell from dead reckoning and bathymetry. Same terrain.

1015 069 2688 Small fissure about 1 m wide, 2 m deep. Here morphology is more lobate with some collapses in surface. Fissures being encountered every 10-20 m or so. More collapses in surface of lobate flows. Although morphology has changed and fissures are present, we do not seem to have crossed any contacts between geologic units.

1017 070 2686 Area characterized by multiple fissures with truncated features in walls. Fissures do not show any vertical offset, they vary from less than a meter to several meters across and some may be as much as 10 meters deep. Also common are collapse features in the surface of the lobate flow, here 1-3m across and less than a meter deep with rubble in the bottom.

1018 070 2686 Intensely fissured area, widths vary but depths seem consistent at 6-8 meters. Lobate to pillow morphology, some shiny glass visible through sediment cover.

1020 Stop 2693 Stopped on edge of fissure looking for good sample site.

1024 116 2693 Looking around for good sampling site. Although morphology still lobate, seems as if there is significantly less sediment here, spaghetti worms scattered on surface, maybe we have crossed a contact, cannot say for sure.

1025 126 2693 While searching for good sample spot, I become more convinced that we have crossed a contact. Significantly less sediment than previous fissured area, lots of shiny, vitreous glass, and spaghetti worms common (not present in previous area). Morphology lobate.

1030 Stop 2693 Sample 3350-2, fist sized piece of lobate flow.

1033 086 2694 Lava morphology mostly lobate locally transitional to pillows. Lots of biota, shrimps swimming in water and on surface, starfish with thin webbing between arms, spaghetti worms, white grass-like worms common on surface of flow.

1035 069 2695 Not sure if we have crossed back into older flow, but biota much less prevalent than previous area, which appeared to be only a few tens of meters across.

1037 065 2697 Commenting on geology seen so far on dive: landed in older pillows and lobates, passed to much younger lobate flow with much biota, and then back into older lobate and pillow lavas again. Not sure if I have seen two or three individual geologic units.

1043 Sample 3350-3, pillow bud

1046 068 2698 Lobate transitional to pillows age 1-1.5, light dusting of sediment , vitreous glass visible, not much biota.

1054 074 2706 Judging we are very close to waypoint 2, no major changes in terrain, pillows her are ornamented with buds.

1056 076 2716 Lobate lavas, individual lobes as much as several meters long, 2-3 meters across. Some have curtain-like folds on surface, small collapse pits common.

1105 Stop 2718 Sample 3350-4

1108 345 2718 Have turned towards WP3 after collecting sample 4.

1109 345 2715 Jumbly, broken up flow surface, vitreous glass visible, little sediment. Folded curtain fragment common on jumbly surface.

1111 346 2714 Not sure if jumbled flow is different unit than lobate and pillow flow previously on. Difficult to judge by sediment cover on two such different surfaces.

1113 Range and bearing from ship says we are 1548 meters away from WP3 on bearing of 348.

1115 346 2710 Ken and I have decided that the age of the jumbled flow we are currently on is about the same as the young-looking finger of lava we saw earlier despite differences in morphology. Crabs and starfish with webbing common right here.

1118 Stop 2709 Active vent, chimney about 10 meters high according to pilot. Another chimney visible several meters away on starboard side. Lots of fish, sessile and mobile bottom dwellers around. Very cool spot for my first dive.

1120 Stop 2707 Very active black smoker at second chimney. Most clams and mussels here appear to be dead.

1133 351 2713 After leaving hydrothermal site, we are in lobate flow that appears to be same age as jumbly flow we were on before stopping at vent site, lots of biota, lots of "stuff" in the water column.

1135 352 2711 Same flow? Pillow flow, pillows as much as 2-3 meters across with moderate sediment cover. Lots of fish, but bottom dwellers almost absent.

1136 348 2710 Ken and I decide that this pillow flow we're on is older than lobate and jumbly flow that vents were on.

1140 344 2706 Large pillows locally transitional to lobate. Significant sediment cover, although some vitreous glass is visible.

1145 346 2690 Judging we are just on west side of axis, same terrain. Here, pillows are heavily ornamented with buds.

1153 323 2687 Have crossed into lobate flow with lots of mussel and clam shell fragments, flow surface covered with stuff that looks like algae.

1154 323 2689 Young lobate flow, little sediment with lots of glass visible. Have passed out of area rich with biota.

1157 322 2682 Passing over several small fissures, one right under us appears to be about 1 meter across and 4-5 meters deep. Small (<1m)collapses within lobate flow common here

1200 321 2677 Appear to be intersecting same fissure system that we encountered to the south between WP1 and WP2.

1201 323 2678 Surface of flow here very broken up, much rubble and many collapse features in top of the lobes. Passing over large fissure 4-5 meters across and several meters deep. Fissures appear to be pull-apart features, with truncated pillows and lobes visible in the walls and rubble in the bottom. No vertical offset apparent.

1203 322 2682 Lobate flows here have lots of mussel and clam shell fragments littering the surface. White, worm-like critters on surface. Lavas appear young with little sediment cover.

1207 328 2682 Fissured area, lobate flows with dusting of sediment on top, some pockets of sed accumulated in between lobes.

1209 327 2689 Still in fissured terrain, lobate and pillow flow with collapses in lobes. Some pillows (2-3 meters across) broken open with "spillout" texture. Fissures, fractured and collapsed pillows and lobes possibly reflect tectonic activity that appears to have affected this flow since its emplacement.

1217 329 2676 Last ship fix has us 40 meters past WP3, seem to be cresting mound that was WP3 target. Still in fissured lobate and pillow flow with moderate sediment cover.

1221 082 2689 Ship says 900m on bearing of 082 to WP4. Passing through several meter across patch of hydrothermal sediment almost completely covering lava features. Site appears old and no longer active.

1225 087 2682 Intensely fissured area, crossing one every few meters. Most are < 1-2m across and a few m deep. Looks like same flow we've been on for some time.

1229 Stop 2680 Stopped to try collecting sample 5, Ken suggests that this flow looks similar to Animal Farm flow.

1233 077 2678 Lobate flow here commonly have collapse features 0.5-1 m across and deep with rubble in bottom. Sediment dusting on top of lobes, locally heavier in between lobes.

1238 085 2677 On our way after just having picked up Sample 3350-5, passing over large fissure here. Same terrain.

1246 081 2688 Appear to have crossed contact into youger flow. Lobate flow with little sediment cover and very glassy surface. Lots of mussel and clam shell fragments, spaghetti worms and mobile bottom dwellers (crabs and such).

1251 Stop 2690 Sample 3350-6

1254 Stop 2690 Within a few meters of sample 6 site. Area teeming with life: healthy-looking mussel beds, anenomae, crabs, starfish, shrimp. Algae-like stuff obscuring glassy lava surface. Sample 3350-7.

1304 075 2689 Noting that the heaviest concentrations of biota are on younger flow, does this mean hydrothermal activity such as at black smoker site?

1308 078 2690 Should be close to WP4, on younger lobate flow with little sediment cover and glassy surface. Few collapses in lobes, but no fissures present in this flow, starkly contrasting older unit.

1315 118 2709 At WP4, still on young flow here.

1317 270 2714 Still on young flow, lobes here commonly have curtain-like folds in their surfaces.

1323 Stop 2715 Sample 3350-8. Young lobate transitional to sheet flow. Little sediment cover, fresh glassy surface visible. Not much bio-stuff here, couple of shrimp and an anenomae.

1330 282 2709 On young flow, here pillows heavily ornamented with buds, locally transitional to lobate morphology. Curtain-like folds on flow surface.

1336 291 2695 On young flow? Large (~2m) pillows ornamented with pillow buds. Many have "smashed caramel Easter eggÓ texture, rigid outer shell fragments with interior lava oozing out.

1338 291 2689 Here the lava is has more lobate morphology, but no major changes in sediment cover or apparent age, seem to be on the same flow.

1341 293 2686 Lobate transitional to sheet flow, collapse features in surface common, one right here is 2-3 meters across, 0.5 meters deep. Still on young flow.

1342 292 2688 More biota here: starfish, spaghetti worms, and algae-like stuff covering surface of lobate flow.

1346 287 2683 Appear to have crossed into older lobate and pillow flow, more sediment cover, and fissured terrain. Fissure right here looks to be 2-3 m across, maybe 10 m deep.

1350 Stop 2683 Sample 3350-9, lobate crust fragment with lava drip ridge on bottom, manganese crust present.

1354 291 2677 Judging we are ~280 m from WP5. On older lobate and pillow flow with many fissures. One large fissure passed over about one minute ago appears to have 2-3 m of vertical offset, west side upthrown.

1402 303 2680 Passing over large fissure with shattered down-dropped block(s) in middle, same older lobate and pillow flow. This fissure also appears to have ~1-2 m of vertical offset, west side upthrown.

1403 075 Turning to WP6 before reaching WP5 because we feel that we will not travel out of this familiar older, fissured lobate and pillow flow by continuing NW to WP5. We want to intersect the younger flow to the east one more time before running out of power.

1416 080 2678 Have been traveling over what appears to be the same older lobate and pillow flow with many fissures and collapse pits. Dusting of sediment on surface, heavier in pockets between lobes and pillows.

1419 Stop 2685 Appears we have just crossed a contact into younger lobate flow. Considerably less sediment cover and more biota than previous unit. Fresh glassy surface visible through algae-like mat covering the surface. Fish, shrimp, crabs, snails, anenomae all present here. Diffuse hydrothermal activity? Attemting to pick up sample here. I feel that this is the same young flow we have been crossing in and out of for the last few hours (eastern margin only).

1422 Stop Sample 3350-10

1426 083 2686 Still on young flow, have passed out of area rich with biota, fresh glassy surface clearly visible, here the flow is characterized by pillows ornamented with buds in some place transitional to lobate.

1431 084 2695 Still on young flow, here the morphology is more sheet flow-like. Folded curtain-like features dominate the flow. Underneath me right now is a strip of lineated sheet flow about 1-2 m wide flanked on both sides by folded curtain type surface.

1436 Stop 2694 Sample 3350-11

1439 2693 Dropping weights and taking off. Great first Alvin dive.

Time	Hdg.	Depth	Description
0800			Launch
0830		1090	Commencing Maggie spin
0923	183	2707	On bottom, pillows with moderate dusting of sediment
0924	185	2705	Pillows with significant sediment cover, some 2-3 meters long if I understand scale correctly. Pockets of sediment accumulated between pillows. Distinct striations on pillows, and many are ornamented with pillow buds. No reflectance from glassy surfaces visible.
0928	184	2728	Similar terrain. Looking around for a place to sample.
0931	275	2729	Still looking for place to sample. Getting acquainted with pan-n-tilt camera.
0935	Stop	2731	Stopped for sample 1 attempt.
0936	Stop	2731	At sample site, when stopped can see a little shiny vitreous glass through sediment cover. Right here pillows are transitional to lobate morphology. Some broken fragments of lobate crust visible.
0941	204	2728	Having hard time sampling, very brittle, similar pillow to lobate terrain with sediment cover.
0946	Stop	2738	Sample 3350-1 in bin #4, lobate crust 15-20 cm long, 8-10 cm thick, roughly triangular piece.
0952			From ship: Range 40 meters and bearing 037 to waypoint 2.
0956	072	2723	Same terrain, pillows transitional to lobate, moderate sediment cover with some shiny glass visible.
0958	075	2715	Gentle uphill slope, similar terrain, here some pillows are elongate and more tube-like, some are broken and show "spillout" morphology. Have not crossed any readily apparent contacts between geologic units since touchdown. Pillows here slightly less ornamented with buds.
1006	070	2690	Crested first bump on transect WP1-WP2, similar pillow to lobate terrain.
1009	070	2705	On course as far as I can tell from dead reckoning and bathymetry. Same terrain.
1015	069	2688	Small fissure about 1 m wide, 2 m deep. Here morphology is more lobate with some collapses in surface. Fissures being encountered every 10-20 m or so. More collapses in surface of lobate flows. Although morphology has changed and fissures are present, we do not seem to have crossed any contacts between geologic units.
1017	070	2686	Area characterized by multiple fissures with truncated features in walls. Fissures do not show any vertical offset, they vary from less than a meter to several meters across and some may be as much as 10 meters deep. Also common are collapse features in the surface of the lobate flow, here 1-3m across and less than a meter deep with rubble in the bottom.
1018	070	2686	Intensely fissured area, widths vary but depths seem consistent at 6-8 meters. Lobate to pillow morphology, some shiny glass visible through sediment cover.
1020	Stop	2693	Stopped on edge of fissure looking for good sample site.
1024	116	2693	Looking around for good sampling site. Although morphology still lobate, seems as if there is significantly less sediment here, spaghetti worms scattered on surface, maybe we have crossed a contact, cannot say for sure.
1025	126	2693	While searching for good sample spot, I become more convinced that we have crossed a contact. Significantly less sediment than previous fissured area, lots of shiny, vitreous glass, and spaghetti worms common (not present in previous area). Morphology lobate.
1030	Stop	2693	Sample 3350-2, fist sized piece of lobate flow.
1033	086	2694	Lava morphology mostly lobate locally transitional to pillows. Lots of biota, shrimps swimming in water and on surface, starfish with thin webbing between arms, spaghetti worms, white grass-like worms common on surface of flow.
1035	069	2695	Not sure if we have crossed back into older flow, but biota much less prevalent than previous area, which appeared to be only a few tens of meters across.
1037	065	2697	Commenting on geology seen so far on dive: landed in older pillows and lobates, passed to much younger lobate flow with much biota, and then back into older lobate and pillow lavas again. Not sure if I have seen two or three individual geologic units.
1043			Sample 3350-3, pillow bud
1046	068	2698	Lobate transitional to pillows age 1-1.5, light dusting of sediment , vitreous glass visible, not much biota.
1054	074	2706	Judging we are very close to waypoint 2, no major changes in terrain, pillows her are ornamented with buds.
1056	076	2716	Lobate lavas, individual lobes as much as several meters long, 2-3 meters across. Some have curtain-like folds on surface, small collapse pits common.
1105	Stop	2718	Sample 3350-4
1108	345	2718	Have turned towards WP3 after collecting sample 4.
1109	345	2715	Jumbly, broken up flow surface, vitreous glass visible, little sediment. Folded curtain fragment common on jumbly surface.
1111	346	2714	Not sure if jumbled flow is different unit than lobate and pillow flow previously on. Difficult to judge by sediment cover on two such different surfaces.
1113			Range and bearing from ship says we are 1548 meters away from WP3 on bearing of 348.
1115	346	2710	Ken and I have decided that the age of the jumbled flow we are currently on is about the same as the young-looking finger of lava we saw earlier despite differences in morphology. Crabs and starfish with webbing common right here.
1118	Stop	2709	Active vent, chimney about 10 meters high according to pilot. Another chimney visible several meters away on starboard side. Lots of fish, sessile and mobile bottom dwellers around. Very cool spot for my first dive.
1120	Stop	2707	Very active black smoker at second chimney. Most clams and mussels here appear to be dead.
1133	351	2713	After leaving hydrothermal site, we are in lobate flow that appears to be same age as jumbly flow we were on before stopping at vent site, lots of biota, lots of "stuff" in the water column.
1135	352	2711	Same flow? Pillow flow, pillows as much as 2-3 meters across with moderate sediment cover. Lots of fish, but bottom dwellers almost absent.
1136	348	2710	Ken and I decide that this pillow flow we're on is older than lobate and jumbly flow that vents were on.
1140	344	2706	Large pillows locally transitional to lobate. Significant sediment cover, although some vitreous glass is visible.
1145	346	2690	Judging we are just on west side of axis, same terrain. Here, pillows are heavily ornamented with buds.
1153	323	2687	Have crossed into lobate flow with lots of mussel and clam shell fragments, flow surface covered with stuff that looks like algae.
1154	323	2689	Young lobate flow, little sediment with lots of glass visible. Have passed out of area rich with biota.
1157	322	2682	Passing over several small fissures, one right under us appears to be about 1 meter across and 4-5 meters deep. Small (<1m)collapses within lobate flow common here
1200	321	2677	Appear to be intersecting same fissure system that we encountered to the south between WP1 and WP2.
1201	323	2678	Surface of flow here very broken up, much rubble and many collapse features in top of the lobes. Passing over large fissure 4-5 meters across and several meters deep. Fissures appear to be pull-apart features, with truncated pillows and lobes visible in the walls and rubble in the bottom. No vertical offset apparent.
1203	322	2682	Lobate flows here have lots of mussel and clam shell fragments littering the surface. White, worm-like critters on surface. Lavas appear young with little sediment cover.
1207	328	2682	Fissured area, lobate flows with dusting of sediment on top, some pockets of sed accumulated in between lobes.
1209	327	2689	Still in fissured terrain, lobate and pillow flow with collapses in lobes. Some pillows (2-3 meters across) broken open with "spillout" texture. Fissures, fractured and collapsed pillows and lobes possibly reflect tectonic activity that appears to have affected this flow since its emplacement.
1217	329	2676	Last ship fix has us 40 meters past WP3, seem to be cresting mound that was WP3 target. Still in fissured lobate and pillow flow with moderate sediment cover.
1221	082	2689	Ship says 900m on bearing of 082 to WP4. Passing through several meter across patch of hydrothermal sediment almost completely covering lava features. Site appears old and no longer active.
1225	087	2682	Intensely fissured area, crossing one every few meters. Most are < 1-2m across and a few m deep. Looks like same flow we've been on for some time.
1229	Stop	2680	Stopped to try collecting sample 5, Ken suggests that this flow looks similar to Animal Farm flow.
1233	077	2678	Lobate flow here commonly have collapse features 0.5-1 m across and deep with rubble in bottom. Sediment dusting on top of lobes, locally heavier in between lobes.
1238	085	2677	On our way after just having picked up Sample 3350-5, passing over large fissure here. Same terrain.
1246	081	2688	Appear to have crossed contact into youger flow. Lobate flow with little sediment cover and very glassy surface. Lots of mussel and clam shell fragments, spaghetti worms and mobile bottom dwellers (crabs and such).
1251	Stop	2690	Sample 3350-6
1254	Stop	2690	Within a few meters of sample 6 site. Area teeming with life: healthy-looking mussel beds, anenomae, crabs, starfish, shrimp. Algae-like stuff obscuring glassy lava surface. Sample 3350-7.
1304	075	2689	Noting that the heaviest concentrations of biota are on younger flow, does this mean hydrothermal activity such as at black smoker site?
1308	078	2690	Should be close to WP4, on younger lobate flow with little sediment cover and glassy surface. Few collapses in lobes, but no fissures present in this flow, starkly contrasting older unit.
1315	118	2709	At WP4, still on young flow here.
1317	270	2714	Still on young flow, lobes here commonly have curtain-like folds in their surfaces.
1323	Stop	2715	Sample 3350-8. Young lobate transitional to sheet flow. Little sediment cover, fresh glassy surface visible. Not much bio-stuff here, couple of shrimp and an anenomae.
1330	282	2709	On young flow, here pillows heavily ornamented with buds, locally transitional to lobate morphology. Curtain-like folds on flow surface.
1336	291	2695	On young flow? Large (~2m) pillows ornamented with pillow buds. Many have "smashed caramel Easter eggÓ texture, rigid outer shell fragments with interior lava oozing out.
1338	291	2689	Here the lava is has more lobate morphology, but no major changes in sediment cover or apparent age, seem to be on the same flow.
1341	293	2686	Lobate transitional to sheet flow, collapse features in surface common, one right here is 2-3 meters across, 0.5 meters deep. Still on young flow.
1342	292	2688	More biota here: starfish, spaghetti worms, and algae-like stuff covering surface of lobate flow.
1346	287	2683	Appear to have crossed into older lobate and pillow flow, more sediment cover, and fissured terrain. Fissure right here looks to be 2-3 m across, maybe 10 m deep.
1350	Stop	2683	Sample 3350-9, lobate crust fragment with lava drip ridge on bottom, manganese crust present.
1354	291	2677	Judging we are ~280 m from WP5. On older lobate and pillow flow with many fissures. One large fissure passed over about one minute ago appears to have 2-3 m of vertical offset, west side upthrown.
1402	303	2680	Passing over large fissure with shattered down-dropped block(s) in middle, same older lobate and pillow flow. This fissure also appears to have ~1-2 m of vertical offset, west side upthrown.
1403	075		Turning to WP6 before reaching WP5 because we feel that we will not travel out of this familiar older, fissured lobate and pillow flow by continuing NW to WP5. We want to intersect the younger flow to the east one more time before running out of power.
1416	080	2678	Have been traveling over what appears to be the same older lobate and pillow flow with many fissures and collapse pits. Dusting of sediment on surface, heavier in pockets between lobes and pillows.
1419	Stop	2685	Appears we have just crossed a contact into younger lobate flow. Considerably less sediment cover and more biota than previous unit. Fresh glassy surface visible through algae-like mat covering the surface. Fish, shrimp, crabs, snails, anenomae all present here. Diffuse hydrothermal activity? Attemting to pick up sample here. I feel that this is the same young flow we have been crossing in and out of for the last few hours (eastern margin only).
1422	Stop		Sample 3350-10
1426	083	2686	Still on young flow, have passed out of area rich with biota, fresh glassy surface clearly visible, here the flow is characterized by pillows ornamented with buds in some place transitional to lobate.
1431	084	2695	Still on young flow, here the morphology is more sheet flow-like. Folded curtain-like features dominate the flow. Underneath me right now is a strip of lineated sheet flow about 1-2 m wide flanked on both sides by folded curtain type surface.
1436	Stop	2694	Sample 3350-11
1439		2693	Dropping weights and taking off. Great first Alvin dive.