Note: Intro -- 1 An Overview of Oceanographic Exploration -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Historical Background -- Ocean Explorers and Pioneers in Oceanography -- Colleagues and Collaborators -- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) -- Chronic Seasickness -- Back to Lamont -- Cnexo-Ifremer -- Personal Feelings and Experience -- Scientific Projects -- Preparing an Expedition -- Life on Board a Research Vessel -- Team Work -- Communicating Scientific Results -- References -- 2 Our Haven, Planet Earth -- Abstract -- The Birth of Planet Earth -- The Solid Earth's Interior -- The Core -- The Mantle -- The Lithosphere-Crust -- Water on Earth -- Why Seawater is Salty -- How Deep Can Seawater Penetrate into the Earth's Lithosphere? -- Hydrosphere-Atmosphere Interaction -- Formation of Continents -- Large Igneous Provinces (LIP) as a Nucleus for Continent Accretion -- Volcanic Arcs: Possible Sites of Crustal Accretion -- Continental Drift -- Plate Tectonics -- Mantle Convection Currents -- Sea Floor Renewal -- Earth's Magnetism -- What is the Source of the Earth's Magnetic Field? -- References -- 3 Diving into the Abysses -- Abstract -- Why Do We Explore the Sea Floor? -- Bathymetric Mapping and Sea Floor Imagery -- Navigation Systems and Other Vital Equipment -- Early Underwater Exploration -- Bathyscaphes -- Archimède -- Manned and Unmanned Submersibles -- Alvin -- Cyana -- Nautile -- Pisces -- Unmanned Submersibles and Robots -- Diving in a Manned Submersible -- A Normal Diving Day -- References -- 4 Sea Floor Rocks -- Abstract -- Rocks: A Combination of Several Basic Minerals -- Basaltic Rocks -- Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) -- Alkali Basalts/Intraplate Oceanic Basalts (IOBs) -- Model for Explaining Small-Scale Magma Heterogeneities in Sea Floor Basalt -- Silica-Rich Lava and Obsidian -- Composition of Silica-Enriched Rocks -- Origin of Silica-Rich Lavas. , Gabbroic Rocks -- Peridotites -- Emplacement and Distribution of Peridotite -- Melt Impregnation of Peridotites -- Section of the Oceanic Lithosphere -- Sea Floor Exposed Through Time -- Present Day Exposed Sea Floor -- Stratigraphic Columns -- The Brittle and Ductile Transition Zone -- References -- 5 Earth's Mantle Melting and Volcanism -- Abstract -- Magma Reservoirs Underneath Spreading Ridges -- Volcanic Landscape -- Lava Morphology -- Pillow Lava and Sheet Flows -- Types of Volcanic Flows Erupted During Quiet Eruptions: -- Lava Pond -- Volcanic Eruption and Distribution -- Type of Volcanic Rocks Formed During Explosive Activity: -- Volatiles and Gas in Magma -- Popping Rocks -- Hyaloclasts and Pyroclasts: Their Origin -- Sub-Aerial Versus Submarine Explosion -- Submarine Volcanic Explosion -- Growth of a Volcano -- Historical Eruptions -- Underwater Eruptions: First Observation -- Tsunami -- References -- 6 Hydrothermal Activity and Metalliferous Deposits -- Abstract -- Missing Heat -- Discovery of Hydrothermal Deposits -- Hydrothermal Fluid Circulation and Sub-Crustal Alteration -- Types of Hydrothermal Deposits -- Massive Sulfides -- Snow Balls and Beehives (Porous Sulfide Deposits) -- Hydrothermal Mounds -- Columnar Edifices: Hydrothermal Chimneys -- Barite Chimneys -- Hydrothermal Breccia -- Ochreous Deposits or Gossan -- Fe-Oxyhydroxide Deposits -- Silica-Rich Deposits -- Stockwork Mineralization -- Formation of Hydrothermal Deposits -- Phases Forming Hydrothermal Deposits -- Exploitable Mineral Resources of the Sea Floor -- References -- 7 Oceanic Spreading Ridges and Sea Floor Creation -- Abstract -- Ridge Segmentations -- The Mid-Atlantic Ridge -- The FAMOUS project: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 37degN -- Visit to the Afar Region in Ethiopia -- Iceland Field Trip -- Diving off Madeira Island. , Diving off Corsica and Being Caught in an ''Avalanche'' -- Diving near Toulon -- Diving on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the FAMOUS Area -- The OCEANAUT Project: Mid Atlantic Ridge at 34deg50vprimeN -- Axial Rift Valley -- Highlights of the OCEANAUT Project Dives -- Volcanoes on the Mid Atlantic Ridge Walls -- Inside Corner-High Peridotite -- The East Pacific Rise -- East Pacific Rise at 21degN -- Long-Range Survey of the East Pacific Rise -- East Pacific Rise at 12deg50vprimeN -- Low Velocity Zone Underneath the EPR -- Clipperton Island -- Cyana Dives on the EPR at 12deg50vprimeN -- Off-Axial Seamounts on the EPR at 12deg50vprimeN and 11deg20vprimeN -- Hess Deep: One Million Year Old EPR Crust Exposed -- The Intra-Rift Ridge Dive NZ08 in the Hess Deep -- South East Pacific Rise -- Magmatic and Hydrothermal Cyclicity at Different Ridge Segments -- The Pacific--Antarctic Ridge at 36--42degS -- Interaction between off-axis hotspot and spreading ridge magmatism -- References -- 8 Fracture Zones and Transform Faults -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Garrett Transform Fault -- The Transform Fault's Active Tectonic Zone -- Diving in the Active Tectonic Zone -- Transform Fault Volcanism -- Median Ridge Ultramafic and Gabbroic Rocks -- Terevaka Transform Fault -- First Samples from Terevaka Transform -- Diving in Terevaka Transform -- St. Peter and St. Paul's Rocks Fracture Zone (Atlantic Ocean) -- St. Peter and St. Paul's Rock's Islets -- The St. Paul's Rocks Islets revisited in 1997--1998 -- Historical Background of the Cruise -- Diving in the Equatorial Atlantic -- Diving in the Intra-Transform Ridges (ITR) of St. Peter and Paul's Rocks -- Volcanism and Mode of Formation for the 25deg27vprimeW ITR -- Diving on St. Peter and Paul's Massif -- Dives on the North Ridge of St. Peter and Paul's Massif -- Origin of the St. Peter's and St. Paul's Rocks (SPPR) Massif. , References -- 9 Hotspots -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Why do we Study Hotspots? -- French--German Cooperation: The ''Volcanisme Intra-Plaque'' Program -- Polynesian Hotspots -- Easter Island (Rapa Nui) -- The Society Hotspot -- Mehetia Island -- Diving on The Society Hotspot -- Summary of Results -- Austral Volcanic Chain -- The Macdonald and Ra Seamount -- Diving on Macdonald Volcano -- Pitcairn Hotspot -- Historical Background of the Expeditions -- Pitcairn Island -- Visit to Pitcairn Island -- Bathymetry and Structural Setting -- Diving on the Pitcairn Hotspot -- Dives on Adams and Bounty Volcanoes -- Dives on Bounty Volcano: Volcanic Stratigraphy -- Volcanic Cyclicity -- Hydrothermal Activity of Intraplate Hotspot Volcanoes -- Formation and Evolution of a Volcanic Island -- References -- 10 Subduction Zones -- Abstract -- Nomenclature of Subduction Zones -- Volcanism and Metamorphism in Subduction Zone -- Tonga-Kermadec Volcanic Arc -- The Tonga Trench -- Tonga Islands -- Volcanoes of the Tonga-Kermadec Ridge -- Cooperative Programs and Sea-Going Expeditions -- Submersible Pisces Dives: Dive on Volcano # 1 -- Volcanic Stratigraphy -- Final Thoughts -- References -- Glossary -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents.