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Lost City Expedition: Mission
mitchimage

Mitch Elend

Mitch Elend is with the School of Oceanography’s Hydrothermal Working Group at the University of Washington. This group studies hydrothermal systems (underwater hot springs) found at or near spreading centers at mid-ocean ridges. Mitch’s interests including working with the video and still imagery collected by submersibles and remotely operated submarines. Some of his image mosaics, which are digital composite images have been used as covers or in articles in National Geographic, Science and Nature magazines.

He is currently working on an image map of a hydrothermal vent field located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge off the coast of Washington. This 60 by 100-meter map will be a composite of approximately 380 images that were collected in 1997 with the remotely operated vehicle Jason. Similar image and navigation data will be collected at the Lost City hydrothermal vent field, and Mitch is very excited about going on this cruise. He is also excited at the prospect of going down in Alvin and seeing the colossal Lost City towers first hand.