Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Schmidt Ocean Institute News

Photo by Heather McFarland courtesy of University of Alaska Fairbanks

The Power of Scientific Collaboration is Perennial

up is a sensor for monitoring methane.The November issue of Marine Technology Reporter takes an in-depth look at how an international team of scientists is reconstructing the impact of the 2008 Chaitén volcanic eruption on the marine environment via data gathered on an expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too). Their findings provide new insights into the fate of volcanic debris in marine environments.Additionally in the November issue, Celia Konowe looks at the critical role gliders play in gathering data for understanding climate change and marine biodiversity. An upcoming

Source: Schmidt Ocean Institute

Scientists Reconstruct Impact of Seafloor Volcanic Eruption

An international team of scientists is reconstructing the impact of the 2008 Chaitén volcanic eruption on the marine environment following an expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too).After 9,000 years of dormancy, the Chaitén Volcano erupted without warning on May 2, 2008. Ash spewed 30 kilometers (18 miles) into the air and blanketed the landscape. Heavy rain in the following days triggered devastating volcanic mudflows known as lahars that cascaded down mountainsides and into the Northern Patagonian Sea. The town of Chaitén evacuated as the powerful

Regina Yopak, Product Manager of Science and Research Technologies at Greensea IQ, presents to WHOI during a visit in 2023. (Photo: Greensea IQ)

Greensea IQ Partners with WHOI to Advance Ocean Research Technologies

barriers that often hinder innovation, leveraging their combined strengths to advance ocean research,” said Ben Kinnaman, Greensea IQ CEO. “Greensea IQ has a rich history within the scientific community with the adoption of OPENSEA by several research institutions such as MBARI and Schmidt Ocean Institute. By extending OPENSEA, our open architecture platform, further into the science community via NDSF, Greensea IQ will make a higher impact that will support a more diverse community of scientists and researchers.”Andy Bowen, Director of the NDSF and a Principal Engineer at WHOI, said

Source: Schmidt Ocean Institute

“Flying Spaghetti Monsters” Photographed at Newly Discovered Seamount

A team of oceanographers led by Schmidt Ocean Institute have discovered and mapped a new seamount on the Nazca Ridge in international waters, 900 miles off the coast of Chile, and photographed rare species, including siphonophores nicknamed “flying spaghetti monsters”.The Nazca Ridge, an underwater mountain chain, along with the adjoining Salas y Gómez Ridge, is one of several global locations under consideration for designation as a high seas marine protected area.The seamount discovery is one of many from a 28-day expedition to the international waters of the Nazca Ridge led by

ROV SuBastian prepares to take a core sample of seafloor contents. Dive 679 took place off the coast of Northern Chilé with the research team aiming to characterize the microbial and macrofaunal communities in the surrounding areas of the Atacama Trench. The primary objective of this dive was to explore the ridge area for methane seeps and collect samples (push cores, water, rock, and animal samples) at seepage sites.
Credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute

Scientific Discovery: Chile's Deepest Cold Seeps

Scientists on a research expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) reportedly located Chile’s deepest and most northern cold seeps. At 2836 meters deep, the seeps provide chemical energy for deep-sea animals living without sunlight, offering potential insights into the conditions that led to the development of life on Earth.The search for the seeps took over 12 hours, as scientists examined an area with geologic features that led them to suspect there might be seeps. Their investigation relied on seafloor mapping data and data interpretation from local and international

© Richard Carey / Adobe Stock

Funding Awarded for Five Projects that Study Ocean Systems in a Changing Climate

Five global science and technology projects have been selected to join the Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI) to address gaps in ocean data and modeling.OBVI, through a joint call for proposals with Schmidt Ocean Institute, received 117 expressions of interest from 48 countries. Final proposals were selected through a two-stage submission process and reviewed by a panel of scientific experts and the OBVI Advisory Board. Together, the five selected teams will make up a global research network and receive financial support from Schmidt Sciences and access to Schmidt Ocean Institute’s

Deep Dive Talks with Schmidt Ocean Institute's Lead Tech John Fulmer

Join us for a discussion with the Schmidt Ocean Institute's Lead Technician John Fulmer onboard the R/V Falkor (too). Learn about life on the ship for John as he navigates onboard operations on a research vessel with some of the most advanced technology in the world! --

Josh O’Brien (Marine Technician) and Annabelle Adams-Beyea (Student, Montana State University) remove Niskin bottles from the CTD rosette prior to a re-deployment. Highly sensitive oxygen sensors were mounted on the CTD rosette which were used to make measurements of the extent of the oxygen minimum zone. "CTD" stands for conductivity, temperature, and depth, and refers to a package of electronic devices used to detect how the conductivity and temperature of water changes relative to depth.
Cred

DISCOVERY: New Tech Aids Understanding of the Oxygen Minimum Zone

Using a new technology called a mini trace analyzer insitu logger, or mTail, an international team of scientists on a Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition has found sporadic pockets of water with trace amounts of oxygen in an area of the Southeast Pacific where oxygen has historically been below the limit of detection.The discovery revises the understanding of microbes and nutrient cycling in a little-studied but important ecosystem, the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ). Traditional oceanographic sampling equipment has been unable to detect oxygen in the core of the Southeast Pacific OMZ, leaving gaps in

Images courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute

Abundant Life Found on Seamounts Off Chile’s Coast

An international group of scientists, led by Dr. Javier Sellanes of the Universidad Católica del Norte, may have discovered more than 100 new species living on seamounts off the coast of Chile. The recent Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition resulted in finding deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, squat lobsters, and other species likely new to science.The team explored seamounts along the Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridge, both inside and outside Chile’s jurisdiction, to collect data that could support the designation of an international high-seas marine protected area.

Subsea Vehicle technology is front and center in MTR, with a focus on increased levels of autonomy, reliability and flexibility.
Read the Magazine Sponsored by

People, Companies, Technologies

Marine Technology Magazine Cover Jan 2025 -

Marine Technology Reporter is the world's largest audited subsea industry publication serving the offshore energy, subsea defense and scientific communities.

Subscribe
Marine Technology ENews subscription

Marine Technology ENews is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

Subscribe for MTR E-news