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Shrimp and Mussel Stew

May 28, 2017

Shrimp swarms and abundant mussels populate the Logatchev hydrothermal vent field about 3,000 meters (more than 9,800 feet) deep on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, about halfway between the Caribbean Sea and the Cape Verde Islands. The remotely operated vehicle Jason took these photos, revealing an abundance of deep-sea life that depend on chemosynthetic bacteria to survive. Jason was recently overhauled and significantly upgraded to give it improved capabilities. It is part of the National Deep Submergence Facility at WHOI, which operates a variety of deep-sea exploration vehicles that are used by scientists around the country. (Photo courtesy of Christian Borowski, MPT/ROV Jason 2007)