Deployment: CRS-1471

Deployment: 
CRS-1471
Chief Scientist: 
Craig R. Smith (University of Hawaii at Manoa, SOEST)
Co-Chief Scientist: 
Kenneth M. Halanych (Auburn University)
Platform:
  CRS-1471
Platform Type:
 mooring
Start Date: 
2013-04-08
End Date: 
2014-06-23
Location: 
Coast of Oregon; 43 52.704' N, 127 33.928 W, depth 2917 m
Description

The investigators deployed four free-vehicle Bone-Wood Landers (BOWLs) as moorings that (1) sink autonomously to the deep-sea floor, (2) expose 9 controlled experimental substrates of whale bone, wood, or inert materials at the seafloor for months to years, and (3) upon acoustic command, enclose each experimental substrate in a sealed 500-micrometer mesh bag and returns to the ocean surface. This new BOWL technology allows controlled quantitative study of biotic colonization, biodiversity, ecosystem function and connectivity for bone, wood and other experimental substrates in the deep sea at relatively low fabrication and ship-time costs.

See a PDF image of the mooring deployment sites.