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Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone

Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone

Past Expedition

Dates
June 8 - 22, 2019
Location
Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean

Overview

From June 8 – 22, a team of researchers will explore the water column in some of the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico in order to determine what happens to deep-sea animals when a very important constraint is taken away from them – that of light. They will make observations and collect samples for further study on the characterization of visual systems, bioluminescence, and fluorescence of organisms living below 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), in the bathypelagic (midnight) zone.

Features

Dr. Schweikert’s current postdoctoral advisor is Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom. They work together at Florida International University.
Heading Home
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 21 Mission log: Heading home
June 21, 2019
Here Be Monsters: We Filmed a Giant Squid in America's Backyard
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 20 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 20, 2019
Oceaneering ROV pilots Travis Kolbe (left) and Jason Tripp (right).
ROV vs. BLOG
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 19 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 19, 2019
View More View Less
What’s Blacker Than Black?
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 18 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 18, 2019
“Normal” shrimp from the twilight zone and “giant” shrimp from the midnight zone.
BIG
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 17 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 17, 2019
Seeing the Unseen
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 16 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 16, 2019
Team setting up for a Tucker trawl deployment; Photo: M. McCall
It Is All About Teamwork
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 15 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 15, 2019
The deep-sea ctenophore, Bathocyroe foserti, as photographed from the ROV at ~1,800 meters (5,905 feet).
Worth the Wait
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 14 Mission log: Worth the Wait
June 14, 2019
Three generations of postdoc advising. Dr. Lorian Schweikert’s previous postdoctoral advisor is Dr. Sönke Johnsen (bottom right) and his postdoctoral advisor was Dr. Edie Widder (back).
The Last True Apprenticeship
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone - June 12 Mission log: The Last True Apprenticeship
June 12, 2019
Second deployment of Medusa off the Point Sur.
Searching for Giant Squid in the Gulf of Mexico
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone
June 11, 2019
Free-swimming larvacean (we saw many Larvacean houses, which in the words of Dr. Tracey Sutton, are the “mucus polysaccharide structures that are spun similarly to that of a spider by the larvacean intricately to provide them with food.”)
Doing Science
Journey into Midnight: Light and Life Below the Twilight Zone
June 10, 2019
L-R, Alexander Davis, Tracey Sutton, Ph.D., Heather Bracken-Grissom, Ph.D. enjoying coconut ice cream bars and discussions with colleagues while waiting on the rain to pass!
Rain
As they say, “love nature, but always remember that it doesn't love you back.”
June 9, 2019
Science Crew Muster Drill
Happy World Oceans Day!
What better way to celebrate World Oceans Day than doing some real science investigations in the Gulf of Mexico!
June 8, 2019
Figure A: Cerataspis monstrosa the ‘monster’ larva that has remained unlinked to an adult form for 184 years. Figure B: Plesiopenaeus armatus the adult form of C. monstrosa.
Deep-sea Mysteries: Bizarre Creatures from the Earth’s Last Unexplored Frontier
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June 4, 2012
Figure 1. 9m2 Tucker Trawl at the surface, about to be deployed.
Tucker Trawl
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June 4, 2012
Sequence of the deep-sea pandalid shrimp Heterocarpus ensifer ‘vomiting’ light from glands located near its mouth.
Mission Plan
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June 4, 2012
Figure 1. Deep Sea Systems Global Explorer ROV
Remotely Operated Vehicle Global Explorer
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June 4, 2012
Fishes of the Midnight Zone
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June 4, 2012
Figure 1. Diagram of monochromatic light stimulus.
Vision in the Deep
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June 4, 2012
The Medusa camera system just prior to launch during 2012 giant squid hunt off Japan.
The Medusa
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June 4, 2012
Whiplash Squid.
How are Cephalopods Adapted to the Dark, Deep World Below 1,000 Meters?
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June 4, 2012

Multimedia

Featured multimedia assets associated with this project.

View All Multimedia
Water Spout
Medusa Recovery
Rattail Fish
ROV Pilots
ROV Recovery
Pelican Eel
Shrimp Comparison
Giant Shrimp
Deep-sea Shrimp
Slickhead
Shrimp Spewing Bioluminescence
Trawl Deployment
Observing
Siphonophore
Medusa Deployment
Ctenophore
Splat Screen
Bioluminescent Organisms
Three Generations
Current Advisor
Activated Brain Cells
Night Recovery
Point Sur Deployment
Free-swimming Larvacean
Trawl Deployment
Crustacean Collection
Awesome Squid
Drill
Waiting
Optical Luring
Light Stimulus
Medusa Cameras
Whiplash Squid
Shrimp Vomiting Light
Global Explorer
Chromatic Adaptation

Education

Our Learn & Discover page provides the best of what the NOAA Ocean Exploration website has to offer to support educators in the classroom during this expedition. Each theme page includes expedition features, lessons, multimedia, career information, and associated past expeditions. Below are related top education themes for this expedition.

Deep-Sea Corals
Bioluminescence

Meet the Exploration Team

Learn more about the team members and their contributions to this project.

Meet the Full Team
Heather Bracken-Grissom, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor - Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University-Biscayne Bay Campus
Alexander Davis
Graduate Student – Duke University
Danté Fenolio, Ph.D.
Vice President, Center for Conservation & Research - San Antonio Zoo
Tamara Frank, Ph.D.
Professor - Nova Southeastern University
Sönke Johnsen, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology - Duke University
Heather Judkins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences - University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Resources & Contacts

Related Links
  • Published June 4, 2019
  • Last updated June 21, 2019