Videos from the Expedition

White billowing eruptive plume full of sulfur and ash coming out of Brimstone vent (no audio).

Clear bubbles rising from the eruptive vent are mainly CO2, while the white cloud is dominated by sulfur from SO2 (no audio).

Various types of filamentous microbial mat wave in the current on a vertical cliff near the summit of NW Rota-1. (no audio)

A rocky outcrop on a ridge of the volcano provides habitat for two species of shrimp adapted to live at hydrothermal vents. (no audio)

The smaller shrimp species is a grazer while the larger one is a carnivore. The smaller grazers get out of the way as a larger carnivore walks through a crowd. The carnivore species uses its large claws in aggressive displays. (no audio)

A funnel attached to a “gas-tight” sampler is used to collect gas bubbles rising from the eruptive vent. (no audio)

This time-lapse movie shows lava rising and pushing previously erupted blocks to the side in the vent over a time period of an hour and a half. The areas of the most intense degassing are where new lava is actively erupting (no audio.

Watch closely as recently erupted (and already degassed) lava on the right side of the vent is shoved aside as new lava rises behind it and vigorously degasses.

Time-lapse movie of the seafloor shaking and rocks being shoved away from the eruptive vent just before Jason moved out of the way (speeded up 4 times, no audio).

The same video clip as above at normal speed (with audio).

Jason’s manipulator arm holds a long intake tube designed to sample the hot fluids and gases coming out of the Brimstone eruptive vent. However, boiling seawater and molten sulfur make the sampling difficult.

Molten sulfur sticks to the intake tube and has clogged the fluid sampler on this dive. Fluid samples from the eruption plume were successfully collected on later dives.

Jason approaches the Brimstone eruptive vent at the top of the new 40-meter high cone (no audio).

Jason prepares to sample the eruption plume as ash rains down on the vehicle. Later a curtain of CO2 bubbles rises in front of the camera during another eruptive pulse.

The seafloor shakes and heaves as new lava forces its way to the surface.

Ash explosively erupts from Brimstone vent as Jason prepares to place a temperature probe in the plumea temperature of 210° C (410°F) was where measured.

All video copyright by Advanced Imaging and Visualization Lab WHOI