Image

High and Dry

R/V Atlantis was in dry dock in Charleston, S.C., earlier this year for scheduled maintenance. Today, the oceanographic research vessel and support ship for the submersible Alvin is back at work carrying a group of scientists to explore the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 14°N. The team is using Alvin, Sentry, and Towcam to search for “popping rocks,” lava that cooled quickly and under high pressure on the seafloor to preserve samples of gas from Earth’s mantle. Follow the cruise live via their blog and social media. (Photo by Lance Wills, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)