This large-fin squid was seen at a depth of about 6,500 feet at the Puy Des Folles Seamount in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
A multidisciplinary team of scientists from the United States, Canada and France has discovered three new hydrothermal vent fields along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the longest underwater mountain range in the world. The vents, which are about 6,500 feet deep, are teeming with life, including the rare sight of a large fin squid and a swarm of giant shrimp. Discoveries made by autonomous, remote-controlled underwater vehicles deployed from Falkor (also), the newly launched research vessel of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. About 65 square miles of seafloor has been mapped at a resolution of one meter—an area roughly the size of Manhattan Island.
Dr Jyotika Virmani, executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute said: “This excursion has exceeded expectations with the discovery of so many amazing hydrothermal vents full of life. In the vents, seawater chemically altered through high-temperature water-ice interactions is ejected through geological formations called chimneys. These liquids can appear like translucent “smoke” or shimmering pools of water. The tallest black smoker’s chimney is about 65 feet tall. Species found on vents often live off of chemical energy rather than energy from sunlight, which does not exist at these extreme depths. Scientists still don’t understand how such deep-sea ecosystems work and what role they play in the carbon cycle.
R/V Falkor (also)My next expedition—deep sea coral exploration—starts on April 17.
Auto-Mapping Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is also reinstated for R/V Falkor (also). The AUV is equipped with multiple sensors to create a 1-meter scale seabed depth map and detect smoke signals indicating possible source areas for hydrothermal vents.
This high-temperature hydrothermal vent field was discovered during an expedition on the Puy des Folles Seamount in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
In hydrothermal vents, seawater chemically modified through high-temperature water-ice interactions is ejected through geological formations called chimneys.
Many organisms at these sites—such as tubeworms, mussels, or shrimp—usually have a symbiotic relationship with synthetic bacteriophages.
