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MISSION DISPATCH 3 • 07/10/01 Today's Weather - images courtesy of NOAA & RSMAS Dispatch by Heath Mills - Georgia Institute of Technology July 09, 2001 Current location (July 9, 2001) is GC234. Moving tonight to GC233, a brine pool. Weather has been clear, sunny, and very hot with little to no wind. Seas are very calm, almost glassy at night. 
Dr. Patricia Sobecky from Georgia Tech boards the sphere compartment of the JOHNSON-SEA-LINK for dive mission 4312. Following two successful dives in the aft chamber, Dr. Sobecky will be making her first dive in the sphere. Responsibilities for the scientist in the sphere include selection of sample sites, and manipulation of the on-board cameras. Time management is crucial due to the numerous objectives for each dive mission. Photograph by Heath Mills 
Home sweet home. This picture was taken from the R/V SEWARD JOHNSON Whaler during a cruise looking for bubble streams created by the JOHNSON-SEA-LINK during dive mission 4314 on Sunday morning. This unique view of the SEWARD JOHNSON gives us a perspective of just how small we are on this vast body of water. Photograph by Carrie Holl 
The inside of the aft chamber compartment provides an amazing ride for one sub crew member and one scientist. Seen here is the major control panel, providing information on oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and water depth. The depth at the moment of the photograph was around 1400 feet, marking the ascent portion of dive mission 4314. The dive mission had a maximum depth of 1775 feet below sea level. Photograph by Sophie De Beukelaer 
Oil slicks are commonly associated with anthropogenic events. So far, at both sites GC234, where this picture was taken, and at GC185 we have seen many slicks of oil floating on the surface that are not attributed to human activity but rather Mother Nature herself. The source of the oil can be seen when exploring the Gulf floor in the form of streams of oil bubbling from the sediment. As a result, all equipment returning from the depths must be carefully cleaned of any oily residues. Photograph by Heath Mills 
The specially designed hydrate drill, pictured here in action at a depth of 1778 feet below sea level during dive mission 4315, extracts cores of hydrate and sediment from exposed gas hydrate seeps. Many such hydrate seeps have been located and drilled at site GC234. The design of the drill was a collaborative effort between Texas A&M University and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. So far the drill has performed as expected, providing the scientist aboard a plethora of cores ranging from 5 cm to 12 cm. Photograph by Ian MacDonald 
In a photo resembling the early days of the space program when capsules were the only mode of space travel, Heath Mills from Dr. Patricia Sobecky's lab at Georgia Tech works in the aft chamber portion of the JOHNSON-SEA-LINK during dive mission 4310 on Tuesday, July 10th. During this dive to a depth of 1779 feet, Heath witnessed the deployment of his agar plugs. Specially designed in Dr. Sobecky's lab, the agar plugs have been deployed into hydrate core holes formed by using the hydrate drill and sediments adjacent to hydrate seeps. Heath hopes to witness similar plugs deployed into brine pools later in the cruise. Photograph by Frank Lombardo  | |
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