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Today I took alvin down to the depths of the midocean ridge. Using my gravity enduced diving gear packed with enough oxygen tanks to last me a 6 hours, i was able to march across the Rivera, a segment of separation between the Cocos and Pacific plates. The divider of these two plates is known as the Mid Ocean Ridge. When most think of great mountain ranges; the first thought that comes to mind is the Himalayas. Countrary to popular belief, the surface of the ocean is actually not flat, and the Mid-Ocean Ridge was actually the greatest mountain range in the world. Along this Mid-Ocean Ridge lies a seafloor spreading center, with huge basins and active volcanoes that spew over hot lava, which hardens and creates new seafloor. Some of the things I got to see were amazing. Black smokers, chimney like structures the seafloor that spew a hot black looking fluid that I measured to be 350degrees celcius. This area was far from barren in terms of marine life. There was marine organisms ranging from tubeworms and giant clams, to tiny microorganisms that live of the chemicals coming out of vents. The opportunity to see the seafloor gave me a whole new respect for the ocean.
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