Okeanos Explorer (EX1004L3): INDEX - Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region

Vessel: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer; Expedition Dates: July 21 - August 7, 2010

Project Principals: Jeremy Potter, NOAA/OAR/OER (Expedition Coordinator); Elizabeth Lobecker, NOAA/OAR/OER (Mapping Lead)

Follow the maiden voyage of the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, as an international team led by scientists from the United States and Indonesia participated in a collaborative mission to explore the depths of Indonesian waters. The use of telepresence allowed for scientists in the United States to participate remotely. The Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region (INDEX-SATAL 2010) expedition kicked off a new era of scientific cooperation between the United States and Indonesia. The joint-expedition also advanced the approach called for by President Obama in his landmark June 2009 speech at Cairo University. This partnership is just one of several initiatives that directly support a recently developed Science and Technology agreement between the two ocean Nations.

Site K

Area

Site K; 160 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore the ~500-600m region on Site K Seamount and compare diversity and abundance of faunal species at that depth.

Site T (aka Mimpi)

Area

Site T (aka Mimpi); 83 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore unexplored areas of potential hard bottom in the south to compare to the north and look at sites that span broad depth zones. "Site T" has never been explored before.

Site G

Area

Site G; 100 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore unexplored areas on the summit of Site G, and of potential hard bottom in this region of the south to compare to site "T" and sites in the north over depth zones.

Site G

Area

Site G; 100 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore unexplored areas on the summit of Site G, and of potential hard bottom in this region of the south to compare to site "T" and sites in the north over depth zones.

Site K

Area

Site K; 152 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To examine deep depths in the region (~3000+m); with parallel exploration of the "same/adjacent" feature in shallower depth 800- 1000m. The choice of waypoints is being made to both reach this depth as well as attempt to explore the deep faults on this feature. The approach was to start on the SW flank and proceed upslope, along expected faults (with potential debris from above) that cut through the western flank. Good exposures of the interior of the volcano (for stratigraphy) should exist there. Currents here may well get channeled preferentially through the fault valley, so it might be location of high diversity of filter feeders.

Landak

Area

Landak; 309 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To examine Landat for exploratory comparison to the Nuang Sites (e.g., 1004-Leg2-ROV4), which was the same type of constructional shoulder at about the same depth, as well as comparisons to other features explored to date.

Kawio Barat

Area

Kawio Barat; 365 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore and characterize more extensively the venting characteristics and fauna of the Kawio Barat vent area and deeper downslope.

Eastern Pujada Ridge

Area

Eastern Pujada Ridge; 466 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore the base of the east-facing side of the Pujada Ridge with the expectation that fluids may be seeping along the base of faults, including those that intersect the ridge at a high angle. The approach is to begin by running along the base of the slope (WP1 to WP2 line, 775m), if seepage is detected along this line, then ignore WP3 location, and continue down this track (yellow dashed line in attached map) until the end of the dive. If no seeps are detected, proceed upslope, traversing to WP 3 (450m from WP2), and over the top of the ridge if there is time.

BJIV_1

Area

BJIV_1; 403 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

Mapping results from the BJIV were provided of the Talaud Ridge area. There are several features of interest in this region, but in the rift valley, there appears to be a rift that extends from the west margin of the western wall to the northeast and out into the valley. At the NE end of this 4km-long rift, is what appears to be a circular feature. The rift could represent active tectonism and therefore locations where fluid expulsion may be occurring. The goal of this dive was to explore the NE extension of this Rift by starting near the base of the nose of the rift and coming upslope to the SW to follow along the top or the ridge crest.

Zona Senja

Area

Zona Senja; 430 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore: 1) life in the "low-light" zone below 200m but not deeper than 400 meters; 2) deep-sea faunal diversity at depths between those typically visited in this region (and other regions)- below scuba depth yet shallower than depths we have been exploring; and 3) for comparison of diversity to these deeper and shallower sites. An additional goal of this exploration is to provide essential grist for identifying the distributional patterns of biodiversity/chemistry/geology at depths between 200-400 meters, a zone in this region on the eastern side of the Talaud Ridge.

Kawio Barat

Area

Kawio Barat; 365 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

To explore the extent of venting on Kawio Barat and possible high-temperature sources which have not been discovered yet. The dive would start by locating and looking at the venting on the southwest side of the crest (historical WP2) and then proceed to where we previously observed white capped sulfides and barnacles, 2) then move downslope towards the SE and then SW and deeper to explore for the source of the vent plume we observed at 1950 meters.

Memeridge

Area

Memeridge; 237 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

The goal of this dive was to transit upslope on the northeastern margin of this mound feature, reaching the top and exploring along the crest to the south in order to examine resident geological features and compare faunal composition at this deep site to shallower sites, with and between K, for example at K and Landat.

Gelembung

Area

Gelembung; 138 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

The goal is to explore this seamount ("Gelembung") for evidence of hydrothermal, volcanic, and biological activity, investigating the detected presence of potential hydrothermal activity discovered by the BJ IV mapping and CTD operations. The dive plan is to start deep (~1050m) on a limb and line on which the BJ IV data implicated "bubbles at the surface", and traverse upslope following this limp to waypoints 2, 3, and 4. At waypoint 5, a decision will be made as to whether to continue upslope to the seamount's summit, or continue on to waypoint 6, a less steep climb to the NE that seeks to go around the seamount to the northern side to connect to uplifted features at waypoint 7.

Gelembung II

Area

Gelembung II; 139 km N of Bitung, Indonesia

Overview

Purpose

The goal is to explore a southwestern limb of the seamount ("Gelembung") for evidence of hydrothermal, volcanic, and biological activity, investigating the detected presence of potential seepage putatively discovered by the BJ IV trawling operations; as well as investigate how the fauna on this seamount varies with depth. The dive plan is to start deep (~1380m) on a limb and line, and traverse upslope following this limb to waypoints 2 and continue upslope to the seamount summit.