MARVE (The Marine Virtual Explorer) is a simulation of a research dive in the Alvin submersible to a hydrothermal vent field on the East Pacific Rise. The East Pacific Rise is part of the global mid-ocean ridge system. Mid-ocean ridges are volcanic and, of course, underwater. When you put all the heat and all the water together, you get spectacular hydrothermal activity!

MARVE combines real oceanographic data with 3-D computer modeling to represents a real place on the earth (though it is not an exact representation). You can go to 20 different locations in model and at each location you can look in all directions. At each place you will discover a fascinating world where deep sea anmals thrive on super heated water in a rugged volcanic lanscape. Your job will be to explore the area and find out what is there, just as the research oceanographers who first explored this part of the East Pacific Rise had to do.