At this site you find evidence of a hydrothermal vent that has been active for a long time. There is a large, well established colony of vent animals consisting of a very diverse mix of species. The tubeworms are large and brown and have been growing here for years. This is old lava.

-> Old lava, uncollapsed, old hydrothermal vent
-> Old, established vent biological community

Bottom line: The ocean floor traverse showed that there is new lava at sites #3-6 (there WAS an eruption!) and that the rumbleometer is located in the middle of new lava flow! That is why it is stuck on the bottom! Also, we noticed that it is in the bottom of a deep collapse area, where it seems that it should have been buried by the lava. (We'll learn why not later…)