Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
Resources
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Newsletters
  • Resource Library
  • Forums
  • Sponsored
Go Premium
Popular Topics
  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
  • Project Management
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Big Data
  • Tech Jobs
View All Topics
Go Premium
After Hours

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

By Bill Detwiler August 21, 2006, 4:13 AM PDT Bill Detwiler on Twitter billdetwiler

Image
1
of 10

USGS towed camera system
USGS towed camera system
Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Bob Collier, COAS, Oregon State University

Scientists set out this month to answer questions about the large growth at the bottom of Oregon’s Crater Lake, home of Mt. Mazama, a volcano that erupted about 7,700 years ago. rn

rnA remotely operated vehicle system will be used to gather video footage and test samples to determine how this natural community fits into the lake’s ecosystem. The research is being carried out by representatives of Oregon State University, the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey and Southern Oregon University.rn

rnThe scientists will be using remotely-operated vehicles to explore the moss beds at the bottom of the lake. Pictured here in all its post-moss-exploring glory is the USGS Towed Camera System, which made its journey into the lake earlier this month. The “moss-beard” on the camera sled reflects an “unscheduled contact” with the bottom.rn

Bob Collier, COAS, Oregon State University
Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Crater Lake is one of the clearest bodies of water in the world. There are few places on earth that command such overwhelming awe fromrnobservers. The clarity of this indescribably blue lake is primarily due to the extremely low concentration of suspended particles and nutrientsrnto support algae and aquatic plant growth.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

A close-up of some of the sample moss pulled from the bottom of Crater Lake.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Hidden far below the lake surface, a remarkable deep-water moss community (Depancladus aduncus) may represent the bulk of the biomass in the entire lake ecosystem. This thick band of moss encircles the lake at depths from 85 to 460 feet. This is growing moss hanging down from on the north wall of the caldera at 384-foot depth.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Lush beds of moss cover the gentler slopes around Wizard Island. This photograph was taken during a night dive by Bob Collier from the submersible Deep Rover in 1988.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

This moss was the first described and sampled during Deep Rover submarine program in the late 1980s by Crater Lake National Park biologistrnMark Buktenica and colleagues at Oregon State University.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Further evidence of the moss distribution was uncovered during recent high-resolution multibeam sonar surveys. Since the moss beds do notrnreflect the sonar sound back to the surface as well as the hard surfaces of the caldera wall, Pete Dartnell (USGS) predicted the moss distribution throughout the lake using a model of sonar backscatter intensity.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

The USGS National Seafloor Mapping and Benthic Habitat Studies Project.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Backscatter intensity: Dark areas may help identify moss.

Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

Photograph of Mark Buktenica

  • After Hours
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake

    Your email has been sent

Share: Photos: Roving the floor of Crater Lake
Image of Bill Detwiler
By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
  • Account Information

    Contact Bill Detwiler

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Bill's content

Daily Tech Insider

If you can only read one tech story a day, this is it.

TechRepublic TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on X
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on YouTube
  • TechRepublic on Pinterest
  • TechRepublic RSS
Services
  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • Careers
Explore
  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Editorial Policy
  • Legal Terms
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
CLOSE

Create a TechRepublic Account

Get the web's best business technology news, tutorials, reviews, trends, and analysis—in your inbox. Let's start with the basics.

Already registered? Sign In
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

* - indicates required fields

CLOSE

Sign in to TechRepublic

Not a member? Create an account
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

Lost your password? Request a new password

CLOSE

Reset Password

Please enter your email adress. You will receive an email message with instructions on how to reset your password.

Check your email for a password reset link. If you didn't receive an email don't forgot to check your spam folder, otherwise contact support.

Back to login
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Welcome. Tell us a little bit about you.

This will help us provide you with customized content.

No thanks, continue without
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Want to receive more TechRepublic news?

Newsletter Name
Subscribe
Daily Tech Insider
Daily Tech Insider AU
TechRepublic UK
TechRepublic News and Special Offers
TechRepublic News and Special Offers International
Executive Briefing
Innovation Insider
Project Management Insider
Microsoft Weekly
Cloud Insider
Data Insider
Developer Insider
TechRepublic Premium
Apple Weekly
Cybersecurity Insider
Google Weekly
Toggle All
No thanks, continue without

You're All Set

Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye out for a confirmation email from our team. To ensure any newsletters you subscribed to hit your inbox, make sure to add [email protected] to your contacts list.

Back to Home Page
×