"Black smoker" from the ocean floor...

[PTK]

I have a piece of one of the chimney vents on the ocean floor as recovered by ALVIN submersible. Is there any interest in a short write-up and photographs to go with? 

[Bigjake]

Um.. Sure...

Where'd ya get such a critter?  how deep did the pluck it from?

[PTK]

I'd have to look at the vial, but it was DEEP. ~2500m, if I recall right.

I got it from my uncle, who worked at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and did the wiring for ALVIN, along with other jobs.

[AJ Dual]

Yes.

Show n' Tell time.

That is cool.

[Bigjake]

That is pretty friggin cool. 

Moar story??

[Perd Hapley]

Did that come from Spongebob's house, or what? 

[PTK]

ALVIN dive number 3787, 19th of May 2002. 9deg N, 104deg W, depth ~2500m.

3787   05/19/02   East Pacific Rise - 9N Off Axis   09-27.25N   104-31.81W   3067   R. Williams   Ken Macdonald   Rachel Haymon

Basically, a black smoker is a chimney funneling hot supersteam/liquid out of it that is supersaturated with minerals from the magma it has come in contact with. The liquid deposits the minerals when it hits cooler sea water. The piece of the black smoker I have is blue, yellow, red, etc. Very pretty, but a STRONG sulfur smell.



Anyway, one day back in 2003, my uncle decided that I was mature enough to hang onto this - only a few pieces are in private hands, as far as I know.

He's unfortunately no longer working for WHOI, as constant diving in SCUBA gear took its toll - the man can hardly hear and his bones sort of decayed. I don't know the exact medical terms, but he's not to go any deeper than 15ft of water, now. He can't even dive in a sub. 


What else would you folks like to know? I'm willing to babble on about this thing for a while, but there's only so much I know about it! 

Video and info, frame by frame

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_smoker

[S. Williamson]

Gotta say, after reading the thread title, the first thing I thought of was something like this: 



That's really cool, though, PTK--made even better by the story behind it. 

[Fly320s]

I'd have to look at the vial, but it was DEEP. ~2500m, if I recall right.

I got it from my uncle, who worked at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and did the wiring for ALVIN, along with other jobs.

It doesn't count unless you get it yourself in a free dive. :)

Basically, a black smoker is a chimney funneling hot supersteam/liquid out of it that is supersaturated with minerals from the magma it has come in contact with.

Globular warming!

[vaskidmark]

Say, was that the infamous finger, in the pikkie, being used to hold up the chunk of stuff?

How's it doing these days?

stay safe.

skidmark

[Harold Tuttle]

very cool stuff!

My buddy Emory Kristof was on the expedition that "found" the deep sea vents
http://www.divephotoguide.com/user/3756/gallery/112/

I was slated to go out on a MIR dive in support of Natty Geo's story on I-52 back in 1999
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_submarine_I-52

[PTK]

Say, was that the infamous finger, in the pikkie, being used to hold up the chunk of stuff?

How's it doing these days?

stay safe.

skidmark

Nope, thumb and first two fingers. The pinkie is... well, numb and cold. It's room temp, mostly. 

My buddy Emory Kristof...

You KNOW HIM?!  It's probably just my uncle's doing through lots of name recognition, but that's up there with other famous names, to me! That's too cool! 

[Sergeant Bob]

I find the black smokers absolutely fascinating. Saw them again on the "Planet Earth" series last night.

[Harold Tuttle]

Emory and i collaborated on several natty geo stories

I created the 3D images for the 1998 Magazine story on the Titanic for Emory one night
and the following morning the Editor decided to run it as an article.

[Stetson]

This is awesome!

I have had an interest in all things oceanographic since I was a kid, so these stories are incredible to me!

Thank you Harold and PTK