Expedition to the Mariana forearc

Mar. 23 - May 4, 2003

Days 12 & 13, April 3rd and 4th

(click on any image for the larger version)

Days 12 & 13 FUN AND GAMES

A gravity core at Blue Eye Seamount came up empty. It bounced right off the sea floor and that means the volcano has not been actively seeping for a long time. Even the map Nathan made from the sonar data shows a surface that appears wrinkled and crinkled. The seamounts with recent or current activity have a much softer, smooth appearance on the sonar maps. Chris M., the core specialist, and Patty think the seamount may be covered with a manganese crust. Manganese is a common precipitate in the deep sea.

It took three days and three deployments of the DSL-120 side scan sonar system to get data for a high resolution map of Quaker Seamount. The Jason Team puts in long hours trouble-shooting the high-tech electronics of the DSL-120. It is really disappointing when it is deployed and fails to record complete data. The third deployment was successful and we spent hours going back and forth over the seamount. This work is not the most exciting time for crew or scientists.

Terra writing in her journal Journal writing on the bow - Terra
 There are many diversions available to fill those less exciting hours at sea. The chemists are locked into their vials and test tubes. The geologists are busy with their rocks, mud, maps and microscopes. For they rest of us, there are movies, games, books and more.
The library has several hundred books from bestselling authors in paperback to a set of encyclopedias. The video room has about 1000 videos and DVD’s and a quiet lounge for watching them. The choice is better, by far, than my local video rental shop.
movies in the lounge Movies in the lounge
The exercise room has a weight bench, two exercise bikes and a treadmill (but no windows). For those who want a better view, brisk walking is an option; around the deck and up and down the stairways. Running would be hard due to wet decks and the rolling ship and there is always someone sleeping below the deck.
Ping pong Ping pong in the main lab, Akel and Tony B.

There is a wide assortment of games available including, chess, checkers, monopoly, backgammon and decks of cards. Cribbage is always a favorite of mariners. Most popular is the ping pong table set up in the main lab. It looks like there will soon be full-on tournaments in cribbage and ping pong.
I was standing watch in the computer room the other night and heard boisterous shouts in the background. I thought Dr. Mottl was listening to some exotic music as he worked across from me at his laptop computer. I heard it again and gave him some strange looks. Dr. Mottl looks more like a classical music man. Soon the noise picked up in volume and I discovered that next door, the entire Jason Team was battling it out on their networked computers--a paradoxical battle in medieval castles with the most modern of weaponry.
Better than computer games for those at sea for days on end, is the availability of e-mail. It is only recently that the cost of satellite relay has become reasonable. At 30 cents a kilobyte everyone on the ship stays in touch with loved ones and family. Many have their own laptops on board but there are at least 7 computers available for everyone. Mail is sent and received 3 or 4 times a day. There is no better message at sea than, “You have mail!”
Charlie on email E-mail - staying in touch with home, Charlie

Science Summary - Days 12 & 13, April 3rd and 4th

Science Objectives, Day 12:

The twelfth day of the cruise, Apr. 3, after several attempts to start a DSL120 survey have failed we will map potential core targets to the east of Quaker Seamount. We will perform a gravity core as a reconnaissance sampling effort on a site at the summit of a serpentinite seamount closer to the Mariana Trench axis. Afterward we will deploy DSL120 to complete the survey of Quaker Seamount.

Science Objectives, Day 13:

The thirteenth day of the cruise, Apr. 4, after additional attempts to start a DSL120 survey failed yesterday and we spent time surveying and coring several targets we will deploy DSL120 to complete the survey of Quaker Seamount. The system is working at reduced power levels, but the imagery is still stunning and will be very useful for interpretation of the summit features on the seamount and for directing our future Jason2 lowerings.

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