Site 8A | SOI Divestream 958 @SchmidtOcean

Site 8A | SOI Divestream 958 @SchmidtOcean

Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

This 9-hour dive at Site 8A will focus on exploring a slope in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve in NE Tobago. This area has not been scientifically explored before. The dive will conduct visual observations, including of high-density animal communities such as corals and sponges. Biological samples, Niskin samples, and sediment cores will be collected opportunistically. Video transects will be conducted along the 120-m and 150-m contours.

FKt260629 - Deep Wonders of Trinidad and Tobago #DeepWonders

More expedition information: schmidtocean.org/cruise/deep-wonders-of-trinidad-and-tobago
More ROV SuBastian information: schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov
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We livestream our ROV dives on YouTube and Twitch!

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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.

Site 8A | SOI Divestream 958

Seep seekin’ 🫧 #DeepWonders #trinidadandtobago

Station 2 | SOI Divestream 902

$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.$

Multiple Choice, Mollusca Edition

Station 6 | SOI Divestream 898

Station 3 | SOI Divestream 903 - Part 2

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

Station 10 | SOI Divestream 917

$Landslide Scar | SOI Divestream 933 Part 3 Dive Description: This ROV dive will visually inspect and sample the large landslide scar surveyed during AUV dive E00017 on the southern flank of the Doldrums Transform. The dive will run from the base of the slope to the upper part of the scar, crossing the full landslide morphology from the lower depositional/scarp-base area, across the main scarp face, and up to the scar crest and adjacent upper-slope terrain. The main objective is to determine whether the landslide scar exposes basement, faulted or fractured hard substrate, sediment-basement contacts, altered rocks, mineral staining, hydrothermal or authigenic crusts, microbial material, unusual faunal aggregations, or active/diffuse fluid-flow indicators. The AUV plan for E00017 identified the western scarp of the large scar as a target for mapping exposed basement, fault planes, fractures, benches, terraces, and possible fluid-flow pathways. FKt260517 - The Doldrums Fracture Zone, #Doldrums More expedition information: More ROV SuBastian information: https://schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov/ We livestream our ROV dives on YouTube and Twitch! Join us on our oceanographic missions on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SchmidtOcean Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/schmidtocean Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchmidtOcean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schmidtocean/ Live data feeds from R/V Falkor (too): 🚢 Wheres Falkor (too)? https://soi-vessel-tracker.web.app/ 🌦️ Hows the weather? https://www.windy.com/station/ship-zgoj7 Sign up for our newsletter here: Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/schmidtocean.org/subscribe Schmidt Ocean Institute is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit operating foundation established to advance oceanographic research, discovery, and knowledge, and catalyze sharing of information about the oceans.$

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Schmidt Ocean Institute |

Site 8A | SOI Divestream 958