Technology

Deep-Diving Submersible Alvin

Bringing humans to the seafloor, and the undersea world to us.

The Lost City Hydrothermal Field was discovered December 14, 2000 using the deep towed camera system called Argus. Two days later, using the submersible Alvin, Deborah Kelley, Jeff Karson and Patrick Hickey dove into the field for the first time.   Subsequent to that first dive researchers have visited the Lost City on two separate occasions, in 2003 and 2005 using the human occupied submersible Alvin and the remotely operated Hercules respectively.  In 2003 19 scientists and students were able to visit the Lost City and explore both the hydrothermal deposit and the surrounding Atlantis Massif.  During the 2003 cruise the AUV ABE was also employed to create detailed bathymetric maps, as well as spatially continuous water property and magnetic field measurements.  During the return to Lost City in 2005 the ROV Hercules was used to further investigate the site and returned never before seen images of the Lost City in high-definition, streaming in real time to remote science labs across the country.