as a scientist it helps you define the whole geologic context. >> the dorado outcrop. l of scientists have studied these outcroppings. >> sediments in the ocean have one of the largest reservoirs of microbial life on earth. >> what are the questions you hope to answer as a scientist? >> fluid composition. >> deep water heating and cooling systems. until the dorado outcrop outcrop expedition, how it's filtered through earth's crust. >> you have the sea water that's circulating through the crust so even if you take a little bit of the pag knees magnesium or carbon dioxide, even a 1% anomaly could be huge on a global scale. >> aboard atlantis technicians work around the crop prepping alvin for its dive as scientists fine tune their experiments. >> tomorrow we'll go to marmer marker m. >> this area is filled with clues on global water patterns and how this life exists without sunshine. the newly discovered scientific data is priceless. >> probably on the order of $50,000 a day. >> and ensuring safety is a big priority. >> there is no other alvin so all sorts of problems can