Beneath the Surface
New discoveries in the Aleutians
...continued from page 3
Cold hands, warm water
One week later, while the team was anchored near the Islands of Four Mountains, one of the three active volcanoes on the islands, Mount Cleveland, began to belch black smoke and ash. The Norseman was only about five miles away.
"We could see ash falling ... one side of the volcano was all black and one snow covered," said Jewett. "I suppose it's a common occurrence in the Aleutians, but we got to witness it."
As the team worked near Kagamil Island, they discovered a series of volcanic vents, called fumaroles, hissing steam and gases into the air. Jewett and the others wondered if vents could also be found underwater. The divers donned their equipment and slipped into the sea. As soon as they were under the surface, they could see bubbles rising from the seafloor.
Armed with a thermometer and bottles to collect water samples, Jewett cautiously approached one of the hydrothermal openings. The water above the vent was 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or as Shawn Harper put it, perfect for a diver in cold water to warm his hands. The divers also found vents in the sandy areas of the seafloor.
"You could put your hands in the sand, it was nice and toasty," said Jewett.
The divers found Beggiatoa, sulfur-dependent bacteria, growing directly above the vents. Tests are underway to determine the chemical composition of the seawater from the site.
A few feet away the divers found the same creatures as in other areas — sea urchins, anemones, sponges and other organisms — seemingly unaffected by the high water temperature and gases.