On 10 May 2010, we retrieved two instrument platforms from Barkley Canyon, benthic pods 3 and 4. These were installed last fall
and have been in service for 8 months.
The Good News
Both platforms arrived in fairly good condition, and most instruments will be ready to return to the deep after a quick clean-up on deck. Instruments in good shape:
Pod 3
- video camera
- 150 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP)
Pod 4
- multibeam sonar
- conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) gauge
- fluorometer
The Not-so-good News
Unfortunately, several instruments were somewhat worse for wear:
- The plankton pump had been pummeled by the harsh deepsea environment and cannot be redeployed in its current condition.
- The rotary sonar head had some corrosion, but technicians have decided to redeploy it.
- One of the two microbial sensor panels is badly damaged; it's still undecided whether it will be redeployed or not.
Biofouling
There were some organisms observed to be growing on the platforms, but overall, it was fairly minimal. In particular, one tiny life form (shown below) seemed to be colonizing the up-canyon sides of the platform. Please post a comment if you can identify this organism.
Photos
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