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July 31, 2021: Mussels and Bacterial Mats

A close-up view of mussels and bacterial mats, documented at a deep seep site in Norfolk Canyon during the last dive of the Windows to the Deep 2019 expedition.

Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2019. Download larger version (jpg, 2.1 MB).

A close-up view of mussels and bacterial mats, documented at a deep seep site in Norfolk Canyon during the last dive of the Windows to the Deep 2019 expedition. This site was first discovered by NOAA Ocean Exploration using NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in 2012. It is notable because it is one of the deepest locations of methane discharge on the U.S. Atlantic margin and a particularly extensive site, as indicated by acoustic mapping of the water column.