Doldrums Transform South | SOI Divestream 934 @SchmidtOcean

Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

Dive Description: This ROV dive will visually inspect and sample the southern flank of the Doldrums Transform
system. The dive is designed to ground-truth AUV mapping and environmental sensor observations from the southern flank, with particular emphasis on the transition between sedimented terrain, exposed or shallowly buried basement, faulted slopes, scarps, basement highs, and possible zones offluid discharge or hydrothermal alteration.

The southern flank is scientifically important because previous sampling and mapping indicate that it may expose lithologies and structures favourable for deep fluid circulation, including fractured basement and possible ultramafic or mafic rocks. The dive will document seafloor morphology, substrate type, sediment cover, outcrop character, talus, fractures, veins, mineral coatings, alteration colours, possible sulphide or oxide staining, microbial mats, unusual faunal aggregations, and any
direct or indirect indicators of seepage or hydrothermal discharge.

FKt260517 - The Doldrums Fracture Zone, #Doldrums

More expedition information:
More ROV SuBastian information: schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov
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Schmidt Ocean Institute is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit operating foundation established to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and catalyze sharing of information about the oceans.

$Doldrums Transform South | SOI Divestream 934 Dive Description: This ROV dive will visually inspect and sample the southern flank of the Doldrums Transform system. The dive is designed to ground-truth AUV mapping and environmental sensor observations from the southern flank, with particular emphasis on the transition between sedimented terrain, exposed or shallowly buried basement, faulted slopes, scarps, basement highs, and possible zones offluid discharge or hydrothermal alteration. The southern flank is scientifically important because previous sampling and mapping indicate that it may expose lithologies and structures favourable for deep fluid circulation, including fractured basement and possible ultramafic or mafic rocks. The dive will document seafloor morphology, substrate type, sediment cover, outcrop character, talus, fractures, veins, mineral coatings, alteration colours, possible sulphide or oxide staining, microbial mats, unusual faunal aggregations, and any direct or indirect indicators of seepage or hydrothermal discharge. FKt260517 - The Doldrums Fracture Zone, #Doldrums More expedition information: More ROV SuBastian information: https://schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov/ We livestream our ROV dives on YouTube and Twitch! Join us on our oceanographic missions on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SchmidtOcean Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/schmidtocean Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchmidtOcean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtocean/ Live data feeds from R/V Falkor (too): 🚢 Wheres Falkor (too)? https://soi-vessel-tracker.web.app/ 🌦️ Hows the weather? https://www.windy.com/station/ship-zgoj7 Sign up for our newsletter here: Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/schmidtocean.org/subscribe Schmidt Ocean Institute is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit operating foundation established to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and catalyze sharing of information about the oceans.$

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$Newly Discovered Vents on the ITR1 Western Flank | SOI Divestream 926 Part 2 Dive Description: This ROV dive will investigate potential hydrothermal venting targets identified from the preceding AUV survey within ITR1. The dive will ground-truth areas where AUV bathymetry, backscatter, water-column observations and environmental data suggest possible active or recent fluid flow. These include local turbidity anomalies, temperature or potential-temperature anomalies, oxygen depletion relative to depth, unusual seafloor backscatter and morphology, flares in water column data, fractures and lineaments. The main scientific objective is to determine whether the mapped anomalies correspond to active hydrothermal venting, diffuse seepage, recently active hydrothermal sites, or altered/mineralised seafloor associated with past fluid circulation. This dive will help test the expedition’s broader hypotheses that fluid flow in the Doldrums Transform system is focused by basement structure, fault damage zones, intra-transform ridge morphology, lithological contrasts, and sediment cover. The dive will prioritise careful visual ground-truthing of the AUV-derived targets while retaining flexibility to follow real-time observations and sensor anomalies. If active venting or strong evidence of hydrothermal discharge is encountered, the dive will focus on detailed imaging, environmental observations, and targeted sampling around the discharge site, adjacent altered areas, and nearby background seafloor. FKt260517 - The Doldrums Fracture Zone, #Doldrums More expedition information: More ROV SuBastian information: https://schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov/ We livestream our ROV dives on YouTube and Twitch! Join us on our oceanographic missions on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SchmidtOcean Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/schmidtocean Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchmidtOcean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtocean/ Live data feeds from R/V Falkor (too): 🚢 Wheres Falkor (too)? https://soi-vessel-tracker.web.app/ 🌦️ Hows the weather? https://www.windy.com/station/ship-zgoj7 Sign up for our newsletter here: Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/schmidtocean.org/subscribe Schmidt Ocean Institute is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit operating foundation established to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and catalyze sharing of information about the oceans.$ $Fracture Zone | SOI Divestream 932 Part 2 Dive Description: This ROV dive will visually inspect and sample the fracture-zone terrain east of the main Doldrums Transform system, with the objective of testing whether fluid-flow indicators, altered basement, mineralisation, diffuse venting, or hydrothermal deposits extend eastward away from the intra-transform ridge and into the adjacent fracture-zone domain.The preferred target is the southern flank of the fracture zone, because it lies closer to the intra-transform ridge and is therefore more likely to preserve structural, lithological and hydrothermal continuity with the previously investigated vent-bearing terrain. The dive will examine whether the fracture-zone flank contains exposed basement as documented in a previous S06 dredge cruise, fault scarps, talus, fracture networks, sediment-basement contacts, altered rocks, mineral staining, crusts, microbial mats, unusual faunal aggregations, or direct evidence of low-temperature seepage or hydrothermal discharge. The dive will combine broad visual reconnaissance with targeted close-up inspection, rock sampling, push coring, water sampling and quantitative visual transects. FKt260517 - The Doldrums Fracture Zone, #Doldrums More expedition information: More ROV SuBastian information: https://schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov/ We livestream our ROV dives on YouTube and Twitch! Join us on our oceanographic missions on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SchmidtOcean Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/schmidtocean Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchmidtOcean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtocean/ Live data feeds from R/V Falkor (too): 🚢 Wheres Falkor (too)? https://soi-vessel-tracker.web.app/ 🌦️ Hows the weather? https://www.windy.com/station/ship-zgoj7 Sign up for our newsletter here: Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/schmidtocean.org/subscribe Schmidt Ocean Institute is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit operating foundation established to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and catalyze sharing of information about the oceans.$

Swim, sea pig, swim! #argentina #Ocean #science