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The development and design of versatile, autonomous, fixed-focused deep-sea cameras capable of operation to depths of 6,000 m and 11,000 m, that have been deployed on numerous research submersibles and deep-sea platforms since 2016, is presented. The optical assembly of the cameras consists of two lens elements and a high pressure-corrected dome port, optimized to correct for image distortion, produce minimal vignetting, and yield a depth of field which extends from ~0.5 m to infinity within the subsea environment. Three configurations of deep-sea housing are integrated with these optics, such that the internal chassis designs permit GoPro HERO4™ and HERO11™ camera modules to be axially aligned with the corrector and dome optics. The GoPro cameras are fitted with a 5.4 mm non-distortion lens and 1TB microSD memory cards; and are connected to a high-capacity USB-C battery or custom Li-battery pack to provide selfcontained power. The supplemental power and recording media storage permit operations for >24 hours for 27MP still imaging at a high (~5 second) repetition rate, or ~18 hours for 4K or 5.3K cinematic video acquisition at 30 fps. The self-contained power and autonomous design of these cameras allow a wide range of installation options for deep-sea vehicles, towed systems, and seafloor sampling devices to document oceanographic processes. In addition to their use for highresolution documentation of Earth-ocean phenomena and life, they have been used in numerous outreach efforts to educate and engage students and the public about the importance of continued exploration and study of “inner space” – the global ocean and seafloor. 

Abstract Permeability controls energy and matter fluxes in deep‐sea hydrothermal systems fueling a 'deep biosphere' of microorganisms. Here, we indirectly measure changes in sub‐seafloor crustal permeability, based on the tidal response of high‐temperature hydrothermal vents at the East Pacific Rise 9°50’N preceding the last phase of volcanic eruptions during 2005–2006. Ten months before the last phase of the eruptions, permeability decreased, first rapidly, and then steadily as the stress built up, until hydrothermal flow stopped altogether ∼2 weeks prior to the January 2006 eruption phase. This trend was interrupted by abrupt permeability increases, attributable to dike injection during last phase of the eruptions, which released crustal stress, allowing hydrothermal flow to resume. These observations and models suggest that abrupt changes in crustal permeability caused by magmatic intrusion and volcanic eruption can control first‐order hydrothermal circulation processes. This methodology has the potential to aid eruption forecasting along the global mid‐ocean ridge network.