Research cruise 2009
1-11 August CGB researchers are climbing aboard aboard the Norwegian RV, G.O.Sars and are heading to sea again to re-visit Loki's Castle, the world's northernmost identified Black Smoker, and Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano, one of the world’s largest underwater mud volcanoes. This year a production team will be onboard filming a segment for Discovery Channel's series: ”Mighty ships” [in action].
The cruise has two goals:
The first is to return "Loki's Castle", the black smoker we discovered at the end of our research cruise last summer. We will be mapping and sampling to document more information about the hydrothermal vent field, which looks as though it may involve one of the largest hydrothermal mineral deposits yet discovered in the deep sea.
The second is to sample and map the Håkon Mosby mud volcano, which is located not too far away. Increased understanding of methane cycling and metabolism is a top research priority today because of its relevance to climate change and CO2 storage.
This year a production team from Exploration Production Inc. will be onboard to film a segment for Discovery Channel's series: "Mighty ships". Learn more.
Their full-length documentary was released summer 2010.
Discovery Channel’s web site: Discovery Channel Mighty Ships Series G.O. Sars
Download: Discovery Channel Mighty Ships GO Sars HDTV XviD-TERRA
Follow along with the action:
August 1-11: Once the cruise begins, a daily blog will be maintained. Click on the day below to be a virtual participant!
| Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat |
| Day 1 | ||||||
| Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 |
| Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 |
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Learn more
Learn more about black smokers, mud volcanoes, chemosynthesis, deep sea biology, ... all topics on the frontiers of scientific research today.
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Day 1
Mostly everyone has arrived and is hard at work unpacking! The G.O.Sars is tanking up with 240 000l of fuel and we will soon set out to sea.
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Day 2
The sea remains calm, with a slight swell; the fog is impenetrable and a CTD, gravity core and ROV tour have generated enough samples to keep everyone busy.
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Day 3
This far north there is daylight 24 hours a day. This means that sampling activities go on around the clock. Last night it was the macro biologists that drew the overnight sampling card.
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Day 4
We have arrived over Loki’s Castle. The fog has melted away and the sea is of a beckoning Grecian blue. We are getting ready to deploy the first ROV.
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Day 5
We found Loki’s Castle AGAIN! It was almost as exciting as last year, climbing up the slope covered in old chimneys and mineral debris.
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Day 6
A trawl full of sponges!! Last night’s Agassiz trawl will keep the macro-biologists busy for some time.
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Day 7
Everyone is busy working up the fluid and rock samples. We measured the temperature of the vents yesterday – over 300°C!
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Day 8
What lives near the vents? Is this community unique? Is it related to other, ‘typical’ deep sea communities near-by?
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Day 9
Overnight we have taken several cores. Once opened, they are like textbooks revealing the venting history of this area.
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Day 10
We have just taken our last samples – a background CTD three hours steaming from Loki’s Castle – and are heading home for Tromsø. We should arrive early Tuesday morning.
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Day 11
We stopped briefly just outside the fjords so that a Discovery hired helicopter could do some aerial shots of the ship – both stationery and at full power.
