A real-time dive on active hydrothermal vents

The Momareto cruise was held from August 6 to September 6, 2006 on the new French oceanographic vessel Pourquoi pas? The ROV Victor 6000 visited three vent fields, ranging from 850m to 2300m, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The scientific objective of the cruise was to study the spatial and temporal dynamics of hydrothermal communities colonizing these active vent sites. Aside scientific and technological objectives, one of the major goals of this cruise was to share the excitement of our science with the public. For this, the results of the project were shared through different media. The most challenging and exciting communication event remains the real-time transmission of images acquired by the ROV Victor at 1700m depth to a 250 person audience on land.