Chemosynthetic Ecosystems of the Southern Ocean (CHESSO) RRS James Cook Cruise 42 Cruise Report Edited by Dr Alex David Rogers 1 Contents 1 Summary 2 List of Personnel Group photo 3.0 Cruise Science 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The CHESS Programme and CHESSO Project 3.3 James Clark Ross 224 and James Cook 42 4.0 4.0 Overview of RRS James Cook Cruise 42 4.1 Timetable of events 4.2 Cruise track 4.3 Weather conditions and ice 5.0 Initial Scientific Reports 5.1 Geophysics 5.1.1 Objectives 5.1.2. ISIS ROV multibeam echo sounder surveys: work at sea, and preliminary results 5.1.3. Swath bathymetry maps and observational waypoints 5.2 Water column studies 5.2.1. Introduction 5.2.2. CTD deployments 5.2.3. Water Analyses 5.2.3.1 Biogeochemical samples 5.2.3.2 Methane analysis 5.2.4. Microbiology 5.2.4.1 Objectives 5.4.2.2. Work at sea 5.4.2.3. Preliminary results and further analysis 5.2.5 Stand Alone Pumps (SAPS) 2 5.3 Geochemistry 5.3.1 Objectives 5.3.2 Fluid Sampling 5.3.2.1 Titanium samplers 5.3.2.2 In-situ Niskins 5.3.3 Sulfide Sampling 5.3.3.1 Overview 5.3.3.2. Sampling & Handling Protocols 5.3.3.3 Preliminary Observations 5.3.3.4 Summary and Future Work Plans 5.3.4 Sediment Sampling 5.3.5. Microbiology sampling 5.3.5.1. Objectives 5.3.5.2. Work at sea 5.3.5.3. Preliminary results 5.4 Videographic surveys 5.4.1. Introduction 5.4.2 Survey methods 5.5. Sampling of megafauna and macrofauna 5.5.1. Objectives 5.5.2. Work at sea 5.6. Sampling for microbiology 5.6.1. Objectives 5.6.2. Work at sea 5.6.3. Preliminary results and further analysis 5.7. Food webs and trophic structure of East Scotia Sea chemosynthetic environments 5.7.1. Objectives 5.7.2 Work at Sea 5.7.3 Preliminary Results 5.8. Population Genetics 5.8.1. Objectives 5.8.2. Specimen Collection 5.8.3. Tissue Extraction 3 5.8.4. DNA Extraction 5.9. DNA extraction of macrobenthic fauna for phylogenetics 5.9.1. Objectives 5.9.2. Work at sea 5.10. Sampling for reproductive and life-history biology studies 5.10.1. Introduction 5.10.2. Methods 5.11. Metals analysis benthic invertebrates 5.11.1. Introduction and aims 5.11.2. Sampling 5.12. Behavioural and physiological response to hydrostatic pressure and temperature in a hydrothermal vent galatheid crab from the East Scotia Ridge, Antarctica 5.12.1 Summary 5.12.2. Materials and Methods – work at sea 5.12.3 Outlook 5.13. Vesicomyid shell dissolution experiment 5.13.1. Objectives 5.13.2. Work at sea 5.14. Wood-fall experiment 6.0. Equipment performance 6.1 ROV Tech Report 6.1.1. ROV Summary 6.1.2. Mobilisation 6.1.3. De-Mobilisation 6.1.4. Isis Handling System 6.1.4.1. Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) 6.1.4.2. Storage Drum/ Traction Winch 6.1.4.3 Launch and Recovery System (LARS) 6.1.4.4. CCTV 6.1.5. ISIS External Equipment 6.1.5.1. Elevator A (beacon address 105) 6.1.5.2. Elevator B 4 6.1.5.3. USBL & LBL Acoustic System (Sonardyne) 6.1.5.4. Football Floats 6.1.5.5. Suction Sampler 6.1.5.6. Push Cores 6.1.6. Isis ROV 6.1.6.1. Thrusters 6.1.6.2. Thruster Controllers 6.1.6.3. Vehicle Main System Compensators 6.1.6.4. Tool Sled 6.1.6.5. Hydraulic System 6.1.6.6. Manipulators 6.1.6.7. Pan & Tilt Units 6.1.6.8. Doppler (300khz) 6.1.6.9. Cameras 6.1.6.10. Lights 6.1.6.11. Lasers 6.1.6.12. Sonars 6.1.6.13. Digiquartz Pressure Sensor 6.1.6.14. CTD 6.1.6.15. WHOI Magnetometer 6.1.6.16. Electrical Systems and Wiring 6.1.6.17. Altimeter 6.1.6.18. Novatech Radio/Strobe Beacons 6.1.6.19. PRIZM –FO Comms 6.1.6.20. Scientific sensors 6.1.7. Isis System Topside 6.1.7.1. Video Tilters 6.1.7.2. Jetway 6.1.7.3. Device Controller 6.1.7.4. Techsas PC 6.1.7.5. Caraibes PC’s 6.1.7.6. Sumatra PC 6.1.7.7. Event Logger PC 5 6.1.7.8. SM2000 PC 6.1.7.9. MS1000 PC 6.1.7.10. Topside PC 6.1.7.11. Videowall PC 6.1.7.12. DVLNAV PC 6.1.7.13. Minimac PC 6.1.7.14. Engineer PC 6.1.7.15. DVD / DV Recording Setup 6.1.7.16. Minifilm Recording 6.1.7.17. DVR 6.1.7.18. BODC video archiving PC 6.1.8. Isis Topside Technical Details 6.1.8.1. Ship Network Connection 6.1.8.2. Ship – ROV Patch Panel Connections 6.1.8.3. Fibre Optic Terminations 6.1.8.4. Apple X-Server / RAID-Server 6.1.8.5. Bender Ground Fault Unit – Isis 6.1.8.6. Power Supplies 6.1.8.7. Air Conditioning Units 6.1.9. ISIS Dive Summary (hrs run) 6.1.10. Mooring Tangle Incident (20th Jan 2010) Dive 131 6.1.11. ROV multibeam system 6.1.11.1. Standard settings 6.1.11.2. System performances 6.2. EM120 Multibeam echo sounder 6.2.1. Standard settings 6.2.2. Problems encountered 6.3. SBP120 sub-bottom profiler 6.3.1. Standard settings 6.3.2. Problems encountered 6.4. EA600 Echo Sounder 6 6.5. Navigation 6.5.1. DGPS 6.5.2. USBL 6.5.3. Doppler 6.6. CTD Operations 6.6.1. 24-way Titanium CTD Frame 6.6.2. Deployment Comments 6.6.3. Salinometry 6.6.4. RDI Workhorse LADCP Configuration 6.6.5. Deployment Comments 6.7. SAPS Operations 6.8. Moorings Report 6.8.1. Mooring 1 6.8.2. Mooring 2 6.9 Lander 6.10 Data-logging and other continuous data recording devices 6.10.1. TECHSAS 6.10.2. Chernikeef EM log 6.10.3. Ship’s Gyrocompass 6.10.4. Skipper Doppler Log 6.10.5. Surfmet System 6.10.6. ADCP 150 6.10.7. ADCP 75 6.10.8. Gravity Meter 6.10.9. CASIX PCO2 System 6.11. Ship’s Navigation Systems 6.11.1. SeaTex DPS 116 DPS116 6.11.2. Applanix POSMV System 6.11.3. ADU5 6.11.4. Navigation problems 7.0 Acknowledgements 8.0 References Appendix A1 Summary data for CTDs Appendix A2 Faunal samples 7 Appendix A3 Typical EM120 and SBP120 Parameter Settings Appendix A4 CTD Samples Appendix A5 Summary of Video / DVD Media Appendix 6 Summary Dive Statistics Appendix 7 Microbial samples 8 1.0 Summary The following report comprises an account of the work carried out on RRS James Cook Cruise JC42. This cruise was a follow-up to RRS James Clark Ross Cruise JR 224 on which seeps and hydrothermal vent sites were located using CTD casts and vents filmed using a towed camera system, SHRIMP. The cruise was aimed at investigating chemosynthetic environments in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, including a putative methane-seep off South Georgia, deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the East Scotia Ridge, a putative hydrothermal vent site in McIntosh Crater, and a putative seep site at Douglas Strait. The main sampling equipment for these investigations included CTDs and the ROV Isis. These cruises represent the first and second cruises of the Chemosynthetic Ecosystems of the Southern Ocean (CHESSO), funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. The methane-seep at South Georgia was not located. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents on E2 and E9 Segments of the East Scotia Ridge were relocated, surveyed and sampled for biology, chemistry and geology using the ROV Isis. Extensive hydrothermal vent- endemic biological communities were found at these vents. High temperature vent fluids were sampled (temperature >350oC) and vent plumes surveyed and sampled using CTD casts and in-situ water sampling using ROV niskin bottles. At McIntosh Crater a large area of seeps and warm vents were located, partially hosted in sediment and partially in basalt. Vent/seep-endemic biological communities were located at these sites and differed from those at E2 and E9. Biological, chemical and geological samples were taken and the sites of venting surveyed. In addition, a whale skeleton, probably of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), was located and a whale- fall community, including the siboglinid worm Osedax, documented and sampled. Because of the novel nature of this new site it was decided to abandon plans to survey Douglas Strait. Overall, the cruise was the first to document and sample live organisms from hydrothermal vent and seep communities in the Southern Ocean and o Antarctica (south of latitude 60 S). 9 2.0 List of Personnel Principal Scientific Officer Alex David Rogers Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY. Email: [email protected] Scientists Belinda Alker Natural Environment Research Council, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Alfred Aqualina School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Andrew Clarke British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET Douglas Connelly Natural Environment Research Council, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Jon Copley School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH John Dinley School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Christopher German Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, MS#24, Woods Hole, MA02543, United States of America Alistair Graham British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET Darryl Green Natural Environment Research Council, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH 10 Jeffrey Hawkes School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Laura Hepburn School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Veerle Huveene Natural Environment Research Council, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Rachel James Natural Environment Research Council, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH Katrin Linse British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road,