This is a
volcanic rock called the basalt that we collected from the seafloor.
As you can see, we've cut it open so we can look at the minerals inside
and see how fresh the interior is.
And this view from Alvin, we're sending along a vertical cliff face
looking for some good samples of basalt to collect.
These vertical columns look promising, because the fractured surfaces
should make them easier for Alvin to break away.
But even the titanium arm and nimble
claw can't pry free the firmly embedded rocks.
We tried again a little further along the face,
but the crumbling surface indicated to us that the rock had been
chemically altered, so we had to move on to other possibilities.