Carbon dioxide experiments on the seafloor

This video shows an experiment to study the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) on deep-sea animals. About one third of the carbon dioxide that humans release into the atmosphere each year is absorbed by the ocean. As more and more carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it effects the plants, animals, and microbes in the water and on the seafloor.

This experiment was conducted by James Barry at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) using a robot submarine. You can see parts of the robot submarine in the foreground at the beginning of the video.

At a depth of about 3,300 meters (2 miles) below the surface, the robot submarine touches down on the seafloor, then pours carbon dioxide into white plastic rings. The carbon dioxide turns into a liquid because of the high pressure and near freezing temperature of the surrounding seawater.

As the carbon dioxide in the rings gradually dissolves into the surrounding seawater, the seawater becomes more acidic. Around the rings are cages containing deep-sea animals, including hagfish and octopus. An underwater camera near the cages collects video to document any changes in the behavior of the caged animals. A rattail fish (grenadier) swims past the experiment, apparently unaffected.

At the end of the video, the robot submarine collects a sample of seafloor mud using a clear plastic push core. This mud is brought back to the surface so that researchers can find out if the acidic seawater affected tiny animals that live in the sediment.

MBARI dive video T-0387-05; Lat 36.2 N; Long 122.6 E

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• deep sea
• carbon dioxide
• ocean acidification
• MBARI
• Jim Barry
• ROV

[amauta5]

lol you guys. at the right temperature and the right pressure, ANYTHING can be liquid. ugh with you people.

and the that fish is like "Wtf is goin on!?"

[Kuku1123]

The fish is like "wtf is going on" LOL XD

[happinesson]

good experiment. good contribution

[darkabba]

atmosphere??? O_o

[JPFanBoy2]

Atmosphere cant form in WATER retard

[Vajrasiddha]

"The carbon dioxide turns into a liquid because of the high pressure and near freezing temperature of the surrounding seawater."

Cool, does Oxygen do the same thing, could it be possible a breathable atmosphere could be made to where humans can breathe 2 miles down there?

Always been curious as to how the life down there can survive the extreme cold. Does their blood contain a natural anti-freeze in it?

[N3m3cis]

Same here, humanity would be so nice if there wouldn't be humans in it...

[RiuvGuitar]

i hate humans

[dermotk5]

its under water in the sea

thats still nature

[sw0rd0fadvers1ty]

Wow, that must mean that you're really smart, huh?

[Sprite141]

No, a rocket scientist wouldn't understand this, a biologist would.

Except I understood it.

[kali4niabliss]

oops. not sure if that makes sense. I meant inverse correlation between pH and thickness of shells