Written by Diego Estrada
Recently, the famous 143-meter long research vessel known as the JOIDES Resolution (JR) docked in the cruise ship terminal before heading off for its venture into Guaymas Basin.
The ship will be making many stops in San Diego during its two-month expedition, which ends November 16.
The Guaymas Basin is a mile deep trench off of the Gulf of California and is rich with organic sediments. The uniqueness comes from the fact that it is also a place where two continental plates are spreading. Usually, areas like these are either one or the other, but Guaymas Basin provides an interesting and scientifically useful mix of the two.
With a drill string that is able to reach six miles under the surface, the JOIDES Resolution is the perfect ship to uncover the secrets at the bottom of the sea. They hope to learn more about the deep biosphere in order to “better understand climate change, geology and Earth’s History,” according to their website.
We hope to see the ship return knowing more about the microbial communities that were sustained due to the exclusive chemicals at the Basin. If you would like to learn more about the expedition or other research-related inquires about the JR, you can visit their website.
The JR will be docked in San Diego again on November 14.
