Ocean Exploration

Jasper and I went to see Dr. Steve Hammond speak about the work being done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Exploration and Research Program, where he is the Chief Scientist.  He began by explaining that 95% of the ocean floor is yet unexplored, and that we have much better maps of other planets.  We are in ignorance of much of the ocean's processes and life forms.  There are many exciting discoveries being made right now.

In 1977, geologists explored the Galápagos Rift  in Alvin, a famous HOV (human occupied vehicle) and discovered, to their amazement, a huge ecosystem brimming with life that did not depend on sunlight. Instead of photosynthesis, it depended on chemosynthesis.  At the bottom of the food chain are bacteria that consume chemicals released by undersea volcanoes.  Scientists went back in 2002 for the 25th anniversary of that landmark discovery, and found the "Rose Garden", as they had named this ecosystem, had been completely blanketed with lava. Subsequently a new community of sea creatures had begun populating another vent nearby in an area they named the "Rose Bud".  The video below is from an NOAA's 2011 expedition to the Galápagos Rift.

Dr. Hammond explained that HOVs are very expensive, costing $80,000 per day.  They are as difficult to operate as a jet airplane and require a specifically trained pilot.  In addition to the pilot, the HOV can only hold up to two scientists. And HOVs definitely involve risk.  He described the first time he descended in Alvin, and was fascinated to see the different layers of the ocean unfold as the light grew progressively dimmer.  As they reached the point of total darkness, he said he definitely was contemplating his own demise.  But then the pilot asked him to turn on the outside lights, and he saw breathtaking constellations of phosphorescent organisms.  His fear and claustrophobia vanished and he was filled with wonder.  

Generally NOAA uses ROVs and AUVs. ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) can descend to a depth of 4,000 meters, tethered with a fiberoptic cable and controlled by a joystick on board a ship.  They can place them in undersea volcanoes where the poisonous chemicals and extreme temperatures would be daunting places for a human to venture. Another huge advantage of ROVs is that teams of 30 scientists can be on the ship, observing the data in real time, with geologists, chemists, and biologists working together.   He showed us a video of bubbles coming from these vents, which were not bubbles at all but liquid carbon dioxide. We also saw a video of what looked like ocean waves, but was really a lake of molten sulfur, churning at the bottom of the ocean.  He explained that there are vast lakes of liquid methane, a hugely potent greenhouse gas, off the Oregon coast which may well be released into the atmosphere as ocean temperatures rise.  Here is a video of a sulfur lake.

Dr. Hammond was also very excited about AUVs, autonomous undersea vehicles, also known as "gliders."  They look kind of like torpedoes, and they can be deployed on long, preprogrammed voyages where they dive under the ocean, collect all kinds of data, and surface periodically to transmit data to a satellite. He told us that a glider has actually crossed the Atlantic.  We were fortunate to see a glider in person when scientists from OSU brought one to the Evergreen Air and Space Museum last fall. Gliders can contain a huge variety of sensors, which can include sensors for temperature, salinity, pH, plankton density, current direction and speed, and more.  

In addition to these devices, NOAA has also been able to make use of SOSUS, an underwater sound detection device which was devised for listening for Soviet submarines.  They can also use it to listen to erupting volcanoes and the songs of whales, and were used to detect a thriving population of right whales that were thought to be extinct.

Dr. Hammond had many fascinating things to say.  He advised that current models are predicting that the Arctic will no longer have any ice throughout the summer beginning in 15-20 years.  He also explained that the Cascadia subduction zone off the Oregon Coast, which has had no earthquakes in 20 years, stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the subduction zones on the west coast.  While some theorize that this means pressure for a strong earthquake is building, it is his belief that the plate is too new, thin and hot in this area for that to be possible, and it simply is not seismically active.  He received resounding applause twice during his presentation.  The first time was when he expressed his opinion that our search for water on other planets was poorly prioritized; that the benefits of learning about the oceans of our own planet present huge, immediate benefits.  The second was when he explained that NOAA's research is unlike the research being conducted by most scientists; NOAA makes their data available immediately, at no cost, over the internet.  Ten percent of their budget goes to education and outreach, and he advised that educators will find tons of lesson plans and other resources on their website. And they are making amazing discoveries regularly.  Their next big exploration is planned in May when they explore the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, and it will be streamed in real time on their website. Dr. Hammond's talk was at an OMSI Science Pub, and he promised to make a return visit again this year.