An impressively thick sample of in-place carbonate rock was collected during Dive 09 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition (note the two red dots, which are lasers spaced 10 centimeters (4 inches) apart). The collected sample revealed a thin ferromanganese coating at the surface of the rock, iron staining near the water-rock interface, and white carbonate at the bottom. The small, smoke-like plume seen in the image was created when the finer carbonate sediment on the seafloor was distrubed as the rock was removed.
Carbonate Rock Sample
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamounts. Download larger version (jpg, 1.6 MB).

An impressively thick sample of in-place carbonate rock was collected during Dive 09 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition (note the two red dots, which are lasers spaced 10 centimeters (4 inches) apart). The collected sample revealed a thin ferromanganese coating at the surface of the rock, iron staining near the water-rock interface, and white carbonate at the bottom. The small, smoke-like plume seen in the image was created when the finer carbonate sediment on the seafloor was distrubed as the rock was removed.

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