UCC Scientists involved in Major Discovery in the Atlantic - New underwater volcanic vents discovered along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Irish and UK Scientists Explore Uncharted Deep Sea Vent Field.
New Life Forms Filmed for Upcoming National Geographic Channel Series.




The Irish-led VENTuRE scientific expedition aboard the Marine Institute's research vessel RV Celtic Explorer has discovered a previously uncharted field of hydrothermal vents along the mid-Atlantic ridge -- the first to be explored north of the Azores. The mission, led by Dr Andy Wheeler of University College, Cork (UCC), together with scientists from the National Oceanography Centre and the University of Southampton in the UK, NUI Galway and the Geological Survey of Ireland, have just returned to Cork from their investigation 3,000 metres below the surface of the sea using the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Holland 1.
Andy Wheeler is in Department of Geology which is part of the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES) and the Environmental Research Institute at UCC. Other UCC team members included Dr Boris Dorschel (Marine Geologist); Professor John Benzie (Marine Geneticist); Dr Jens Carlsson (Marine Geneticist); Mark Coughlan (Marine Geologist); Aaron Lim (Marine Geologist); Alice Antoniacomi (Marine Geneticist).