Methane gas hydrate forming below a rock overhang at the sea floor on the Blake Ridge diapir. This image, taken from the DSV Alvin during the NOAA-sponsored Deep East cruise in 2001, marked the first discovery of gas hydrate at the sea floor on the Blake Ridge. Methane bubbling out of the sea floor below this overhang quickly freezes. forming this downward hanging hydrate deposit, dubbed the "inverted snowcone." Click image for larger view.
Windows to the Deep
Exploration of the Blake Ridge
July 22 August 3, 2003
On this exploration, scientists used the Alvin submersible and other tools to explore the biology, physics, and chemistry of sea-floor methane seeps at water depths of 2,000 m to 2,800 m off the coast of the southeastern United States. These seeps occur where methane hydrate depositsa solid form of methane and water stable at high pressures and low temperaturesrise to shallow depths beneath the sea floor and break down to produce methane gas. The Alvin dives explored three sea-floor features where scientists found chemosynthetic communities that live on or near the sea-floor emission sites.
Background information for this exploration can be found on the left side of the page. Daily updates and more detailed logs and summaries of exploration activities are posted below and to the right.
Updates & Logs
Click images or links below for detailed mission logs.
August 1, 2003
Have you heard of organic carbon that microbes degrade to make methane? Join the search
July 31, 2003
The young science party consists mainly of graduate and undergraduate students. Read about a first Alvin
dive experience in today's log
July 30, 2003
The crew returns to the Blake Ridge Diapir
in search of Ice Shrimp and Gas Hydrate. They also experience the strong smell of hydrogen sulfide gas.
July 29, 2003
The crew has completed the first dive ever on the Cape Fear Diapir
. Near the landing site, divers encountered the most biologically diverse location of the day.
July 28, 2003
Discovery of a new species of polychaete worm at the Blake Ridge seeps
July 27, 2003
Dive two at Blake Ridge Diapir
yielded, Waves of clams as far as we could see.
July 26, 2003
The next two dives will occur at the Blake Ridge Diapir
, a site known for its concentration and diversity of seep organisms, hydrate, and other features such as bacterial mats.
July 25, 2003
The first Alvin
dive is complete. This was the first dive ever along the northeastern eroded flank
(side) of Blake Ridge.