Explorations
Follow the adventures of our ocean explorers on the Web offerings below. You can also retrace the previous field seasons.
Access data collected during past expeditions via the Digital Atlas.
For coverage of the unique telepresence-enabled expeditions aboard the Okeanos Explorer, visit the Okeanos Explorer Expeditions page.
2012
Signature Expeditions
Submarine Ring of Fire 2012: Northeast Lau Basin
(September) Join scientists in the latest in a series of expeditions to explore the submarine volcanoes of the Western Pacific. See the highlights, including daily logs, images, and live video.
Russian-U.S. Arctic Census 2012
(August - September) Follow along as scientists conduct long-term research to better understand the causes and consequences of environmental change in the fragile Arctic environment.
Deepwater Canyons 2012: Pathways to the Abyss
(August - October) Scientists aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster explore and characterize hard and soft bottom communities as well as shipwreck sites in canyons off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland.
Exploring the Submerged New World 2012
(July) Join scientists as they return to two dive sites they visited in 2009, hoping to excavate late Pleistocene terrestrial sediments containing plants, animals, and perhaps artifacts from some of the first human beings to arrive in the New World.
Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals
(July) Scientists aboard the Research Vessel Brooks McCall set off on their fifth and final expedition to investigate the deep-water coral communities of the Gulf of Mexico.
INSPIRE: Chile Margin 2012
(April) During a 10-day cruise on the Research Vessel Melville, scientists probe for strange new biological life forms, communities, and ecosystems dependent on as-yet-unknown conditions.
Summary Expeditions
E/V Nautilus: Turkey and Cyprus Expedition 2012
(July - August) Join scientists on board Exploration Vessel Nautilus as they explore the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea off the coasts of Turkey and Cyprus.
2011
Signature Expeditions
Bermuda Deep Water Caves 2011: Dives of Discovery
(June) Some of the world’s foremost technical divers are using state-of-the-art equipment to explore Bermuda's deep water caves. Join them as they examine the unique characteristics of Bermuda's shelf edge in order to learn about climate and sea level changes since the last Ice Age.
Exploring the Hidden World of the Maritime Maya 2011
(September) Join scientists as an interdisciplinary expedition explores the forgotten world of the Maya in the Yucatan along the tip of Quintana Roo. See how the Maya maritime trade network was able to thrive in a challenging coastal environment that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean.
Summary Expeditions
New Frontiers in Ocean Exploration 2011
Scientists from a multi-institute initiative are conducting ocean exploration projects in the Black, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas and the eastern Atlantic Ocean over a five-month period.
Exploring the Submerged New World 2011
(August) Join scientists as they return to the four dive sites they visited in 2009, to study the biology, geology, and oceanography of a series of canyons off the middle Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Deepwater Mid-Atlantic Canyons Exploration 2011
(June) This project represents a major systematic exploration of submarine canyons on the continental margin of the eastern United States. Scientists will use data and information to improve knowledge of the type and extent of unique deep-water communities in the mid-Atlantic canyons.
Pacific Deep Reefs 2011
(February - March) In this deep-diving expedition to the Southern Pacific, scientists are characterizing deep-reef communities and beginning the task of assessing organisms for their biotechnology potential.
2010
Signature Expeditions
Lophelia II 2010: Oil Seeps and Deep Reefs
(October) Scientists aboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown set off on their fourth expedition to investigate the deep-water coral communities of the Gulf of Mexico.
Cradle of the Earthquake: Exploring the Underwater San Andreas Fault 2010
(September) Using a multidisciplinary approach including mapping, core sampling, and "green" vessel technology, scientists explore this famous—if still relatively poorly understood—underwater fault off Northern California's coast.
Thunder Bay 2010: Cutting Edge Technology and the Hunt for Lake Huron’s Lost Ships
(August) Thunder Bay 2010 will bring cutting-edge shipwreck finding technology to Lake Huron’s “shipwreck alley” – the stretch of Lake Huron just off the northeastern Michigan coast that has claimed hundreds of ships.
INSPIRE: Chile Margin 2010
(February) A diverse team of scientists will be tackling questions about strange new biological life forms, communities, and ecosystems far from the sunlit surface at the Chilean Triple Junction.
Summary Expeditions
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary 2010
(August - September) Join this high-resolution systematic survey of a large area along the shipping routes used by Massachusetts’ oldest ports as scientists try to locate historic shipwrecks, including a shipwreck from the earliest periods of United States history.
Aquarius 2010: If Reefs Could Talk
(October) NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries hosts this research and education mission, bringing the science of ocean conservation and the underwater world to the public during live Internet broadcasts from the Aquarius undersea laboratory in the Florida Keys.
Extended Continental Shelf Project 2010
(August - September) The 2010 Extended Continental Shelf survey is a five-week-long Arctic mapping expedition involving two icebreakers: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent.
Florida Shelf Edge Exploration 2010
(July - August) A science team on the research vessel Seward Johnson is heading to the eastern Gulf of Mexico to assess and record conditions in the water column and on the seafloor to gather baseline data along Florida’s shelf edge as part of NOAA’s response to the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill.
Sea of Cortez Expedition 2010
(April - May) This unique expedition will take place in Ballena Bay, just off the Isla Espíritu Santo. Learn why scientists hope their findings will give them a better understanding of human migration into the New World.
2009
Signature Expeditions
Bermuda: Search for Deep-water Caves 2009
(December) Join scientists as they set out on a series of expeditions in the seas surrounding Bermuda, searching for deep-water caves.
Russian-U.S. Arctic Census 2009
(November) During the 2009 Russian-American Long-Term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) expedition, scientists will again visit the Bering Strait and northwards to the Pacific side of the Arctic Ocean, as they did in 2004.
Exploring the Submerged New World 2009
(October) Join our scientists as they explore the North American Florida Middle Grounds for traces of early human occupation on a submerged late Pleistocene landscape.
Lophelia II 2009: Deepwater Coral Expedition: Reefs, Rigs, and Wrecks
(August) Return with scientists to the Gulf of Mexico as they collect data related to cold water corals, including coral habitats, their levels of genetic connectivity, and the distribution of their communities.
Bioluminescence 2009: Living Light on the Deep Sea Floor
(July) Join our scientists as they explore the fascinating phenomenon of bioluminescence, rarely found on land, yet common in species throughout the world ocean.
Summary Expeditions
Northeast Lau Response Cruise
(May) Travel with scientists as they visit the sites of two recent underwater volcano eruptions in the Northeast Lau Basin and discover new insights on eruptive phenomena in this environment.
Extended Continental Shelf Project 2009
(August) NOAA joins a multi-agency joint expedition that brings together icebreakers from the U.S. and Canada to collect and share data useful to both countries in defining the full extent of the Arctic continental shelf.
Bahamas Deep-Sea Corals 2009
(March) Join the science team as they explore the deep slopes of the Northern Bahamas, looking for deep-sea communities of octocorals to determine if the coral species and their associated fauna living in the subtropical Bahamas are the same as those on the seamounts to the north.
2008
Signature Expeditions
Lophelia II 2008: Deepwater Coral Expedition: Reefs, Rigs, and Wrecks
(September) Scientists will use a combination of remote sensing, quantitative community collections, and genetic analyses to further understanding of cold water corals and the communities associated with them.
Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008
(September) Follow scientists as they explore shallow and deep coastal sinkholes in Lake Huron to understand the unique ecology found in these systems.
AUVfest 2008: Navy Mine-hunting Robots Help NOAA Explore Sunken History
(October) Join our scientists as they explore the North American Florida Middle Grounds for traces of early human occupation on a submerged late Pleistocene landscape.
Bonaire 2008: Exploring Coral Reef Sustainability with New Technologies
(January) Watch as scientists on this expedition use autonomous underwater vehicles to survey the most pristine coral reef environment in the Caribbean.
Summary Expeditions
Northeastern Gulf of Mexico 2008
(July) A team of maritime archaeologists return to the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico to study inundated late Pleistocene landscapes and how these features may give clues to Florida's first "snowbirds."
Search for Trouvadore 2008
(October) A team of maritime archaeologists return to the wreck sites of the slave ship Trouvadore, first identified during a 2006 expedition off the coast of East Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
2007
Signature Expeditions
Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea 2007
(September - October) Join this expedition to unexplored waters south of the Philippine Islands and follow along as scientists search for the strange, and possibly unknown, fishes, jellies, squids, and shrimp that live in the dark, deep waters of the Celebes Sea.
Submarine Ring of Fire 2007
(July - August) Scientists return to the Kermadec Arc to explore in great detail the Brothers submarine volcano. This research marks the most comprehensive exploration of this type of arc volcano, which is one of the most vigorous geothermaly active underwater volcanoes yet discovered.
Okeanos Explorer: A New Paradigm for Exploration
(August) Telepresence technology on board the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is used to provide scientists and the public video, images, and data in real time.
Expedition to the Deep Slope 2007
(June) Scientists revisit previous discoveries and explore new areas as they study of hydrocarbon seep communities found in waters deeper than 1,000 meters in the Gulf of Mexico.
Cayman Islands Twilight Zone 2007
(May) Follow highly trained technical divers as they mount an expedition into the rarely explored Cayman Islands Twilight Zone.
Summary Expeditions
Cumberland Club 2007
(June) The Hampton Roads Naval Museum and NOAA held a summer enrichment program, giving students the opportunity to experience being a historian, archeologist and marine scientist.
2006
Signature Expeditions
Operation Laser Line 2006
(November) Follow explorers as they use new laser technology to examine coral reefs, fishing sites, and a World War II aircraft wreck off the coast of Maui.
Project PHAEDRA 2006
(June - July) An international team of engineers, geologists, geochemists, and historians explore deep sites within Greek national waters using a combination of deep submergence technologies with integrated technological systems to collect data to answer questions fundamental to both social science and Earth science.
Olympic Coast 2006
(May - June) Follow along as a research team documents deep-sea coral and sponge communities in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
Expedition to the Deep Slope 2006
(May - June) Scientists conduct the first systematic exploration of hydrocarbon seep communities in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Submarine Ring of Fire 2006
(April - May) Scientists return to explore active submarine volcanoes lying along the Mariana Arc, extending for more than 800 nautical miles.
Davidson Seamount: Exploring Ancient Coral Gardens
(January - February) Join this mission as scientists explore the cold waters of the Davidson Seamount at depths of 4,100 to 12,000 feet (1,250 to 3,660 meters) off the Central California coastline.
Summary Expeditions
Sounds of the Southern Ocean 2006
(November - December) A team travels to the Antarctic to study the dynamic tectonic and volcanic environment of the Bransfield Strait and Drake Passage.
NEW ZEEPS 06
(November) Discover the unusual forms of life that exist in the cold, deep waters off New Zealand.
Tracking Narwhals in Greenland
(August - March) Scientists attach sensors to deep-diving narwhals to uncover their secrets and better understand Arctic waters.
South Atlantic Bight 2006
(August) Scientists use state-of-the-art sonar to rapidly map rock, coral, and other physically and biogenically formed bottom features of the outer continental shelf and upper slope off South Carolina.
The Search for Trouvadore
(July) A team of explorers uncovers the history of the 19th century slave trade as they search for the wreck of the Trouvadore.
Aegean and Black Sea 2006
(April - June) Join this expedition as scientists study the archaeology and geology of the Aegean and Black Seas and follow as they explore this ancient crossroads of maritime activity with Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic.
Alaska's Submerged Heritage 2006
(April) Nearly half of the United States ocean coastline falls within the boundaries of the State of Alaska. The state’s continental shelf is the final resting place for more than 4,000 known shipwrecks. See how scientists discovered some of Alaska's submerged heritage.
2005
Signature Expeditions
GalAPAGoS: Where Ridge Meets Hotspot
(December - January) Scientists on this expedition surveyed the ocean floor north of the Galapagos Islands, looking for underwater volcanoes and oceanic hotspots.
Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005
(November) Unlike shallow-water tropical reefs, deep-water reefs are not well known. The data gathered during the Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005 expedition provided a strong foundation of information on the deep-water coral ecosystems off the Florida coast.
Life on the Edge 2005
(October - November) Scientists return to the waters off the East Coast of the U.S. to explore the continental slope coral ecosystems. Increasing evidence shows that deep-water corals are important fish habitats, hold information on ocean climate and productivity, and are hotspots for biodiversity.
Operation Deep Scope 2005
(August - September) Scientists return to explore the benthic creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, hoping to continue an astonishing array of discoveries, including that of a fluorescent shark, fluorescent methane hydrates, and a new species of large deep-sea squid.
North Atlantic Stepping Stones 2005
(August - September) Scientists studied the very old New England and Corner Stone seamount chains to help them understand the distribution of deep-sea biodiversity.
The Lost City 2005
(July - August) This exploration introduced a new methodology for marine fieldwork, as scientists used satellites to view and analyze data without being on a ship at sea.
The Hidden Ocean, Arctic 2005
(June - July) Scientists participated in a collaborative effort to explore the frigid depths of the Canada Basin, located in one of the deepest parts of the Arctic Ocean.
New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2005
(April - May) Join scientists as they explore the active submarine volcanoes along the Kermadec Arc, located north of New Zealand, with a pair of manned submersibles the, PISCES IV and V.
Summary Expeditions
Sounds of the Southern Ocean
(December) Scientists deployed an array of Autonomous Underwater Hydrophones (AUH) that will be recovered in 2006. When the AUH array is recovered, captured sounds will enable identification of volcanically active regions on the seafloor as well as the location of critical habitat for baleen whales.
Aquarius Habitat
(July) The Aquarius Project was an intensive week of ocean science and discovery for a nationally selected group of six Girl Scouts sponsored by NOAA, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Girl Scouts of America.
Galápagos Rift 2005
(May - June) Scientists returned to a discovery found just over a quarter-century ago on the bottom of the eastern Pacific Ocean: Thriving at deep-sea vents was a community of tubeworms, giant clams, white crabs, and other species never before seen by people. This discovery forever changed our understanding of our planet and life on it.
Vailulu’u 2005
(March - July) Join scientists as they explore the Vailulu'u underwater volcano that lies approximately 20 miles east of Ta'u Island in American Samoa.
2004
Signature Expeditions
Estuary to the Abyss
(August) Scientists worked along a "Latitude 31-30 Transect" line that extends from the coast to the deep sea. The expedition concentrated on deeper waters (greater than 400 meters) of the Transect, to complement previous studies of shallow-water faunas.
Operation Deep Scope
(August) The science team used advanced camera systems and light-tight traps to explore the benthic creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico - one of the most geologically complex regions on the planet.
Gulf of Alaska 2004
(August) The expedition party dove to 3,500 meters to conduct biological and geological investigations on five submerged volcanoes over a 400-nautical-mile section of the Northeast Pacific.
Mountains in the Sea 2004
(May) Scientists returned to document and try to understand the octocoral communities of the New England Seamounts.
Submarine Ring of Fire 2004
(March - April) An interdisciplinary team of scientists returned to the submarine volcanoes of the Mariana Arc to explore using an underwater tethered robot (ROPOS).
Summary Expeditions
Hunt for the USS Alligator
(Summer) The Underwater Archaeology Branch of the Naval Historical Center conducted a remote-sensing survey of a portion of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to locate, identify, and document what remains of the United States Schooner Alligator.
Aquarius Habitat 2004
In 2004, two opportunities existed to visit the world’s only undersea laboratory, including an essay contest and a Girl Scout project.
Deep Water Macroalgal Meadows 2004
(September - December) Discover why the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are rich with a high diversity of tropical algae (seaweed, or limu) and other marine life.
Search for the USS 0-9
(September) Read about a marine archaeology expedition where scientists were trying to shed some light on what happened to the ill-fated American submarine, the USS 0-9.
Deep Sea Precious Corals
(October) Scientists examined the coral-associated invertebrate fauna at three large precious coral beds in the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Makapu'u Bed, on the southeast slope of Oahu, the Keahole Bed, on the western slope of Hawaii, and the Cross Seamount Bed.
The Ocracoke Shipwreck Survey 2004
(August - October) Scientists on the Ocracoke Shipwreck Survey were seeking to discover the remains of America's lost maritime heritage through exploration and discovery of submerged cultural resources, primarily focusing on shipwrecks.
World War II Shipwreck Survey
(July - August) Scientists ventured into the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico to learn the long-term effect of man-made structures on the deep sea, and conversely, the effect of the environment on those structures.
Russian-U.S. Arctic Census 2004
(July - August) A team of U.S. and Russian scientists embarked on an exploration of the Bering and Chukchi Seas, an area thought be particularly sensitive to global climate change.
Kad'yak 2004
(July) Scientists investigated the wreck of the Kad'yak, a Russian-American Company bark-rigged sailing vessel. In the final years before the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, the ship carried trade goods between Russian settlements and the Hawaiian Islands.
Life on the Edge 2004
(June) A collaborative team of scientists continued and expanded their work in the deep-water habitats that exist in the transition zone between the continental shelf and the deep sea off the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Sunken Warbirds
(May) Aircraft wrecks lost in Lake Michigan have long held Navy interest. In 2004, a U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Area Search Detachment team, under the guidance the Naval Historical Center, conducted a week-long remote sensing survey of the southern portion of Lake Michigan looking for these sunken historic World War II vintage aircraft.
2003
Signature Expeditions
Submarine Ring of Fire 2003
(February - March) An interdisciplinary team of scientists explored the submarine volcanoes of the Mariana Arc lying north of Guam in the western Pacific.
Mountains in the Sea
(July) Explorers visited several little-known seamounts in the North Atlantic to study various aspects of deep-sea octocorals and other organisms living on and around these submerged mountains.
Windows to the Deep
(July - August) Scientists used the Alvin submersible and other tools to explore the biology, physics, and chemistry of seafloor methane seeps at water depths of 2,000 meters to 2,800 meters off the coast of the southeastern U.S.
Charleston Bump
(August) Scientists investigated how fishes and invertebrates adapt to a variety of bottom habitats and strong, shifting currents along the rocky, erosion-resistant Charleston Bump.
Life on the Edge
(August) A team examined unexplored deep reef habitats off the Carolinas and defined their faunal composition.
Deep-sea Medicines
(September) A team studied marine organisms found in deep-water habitats in the Gulf of Mexico as potential sources of new drugs.
Steamship Portland
(September) The steamship Portland and all aboard were lost in 1898 during a massive storm off New England. A team dove on the wreck to unravel the mystery behind the sinking.
Gulf of Mexico Habitats
(September - October) An interdisciplinary scientific team spent 12 days exploring deep-sea coral habitats in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Summary Expeditions
Puerto Rico Trench
(February - March) A science team attempted to develop the first coherent high-resolution bathymetric map of the Puerto Rico Trench.
Gulf of Mexico Deep Sea Biology
(February) A student team studied the reproductive biology and biochemistry of cold-seep mussels and various other seasonally reproducing deep-sea animals.
Kick'em Jenny Volcano
(March) A science team evaluated Kick'em Jenny, the most active underwater volcano in the West Indies.
Titanic
(September) Read about a marine archaeology expedition where scientists were trying to shed some light on what happened to the ill-fated American submarine, the USS 0-9.
Quest for the Gaspee
(August - October) The British warship Gaspee's burning by disgruntled colonists in 1773 ranks alongside the Boston Tea Party as a galvanizing step on the road to the American Revolution. A team looked for the sunken vessel this summer.
Arctic 2003
(September) A team mapped parts of the world’s least explored ocean, the Arctic. The expedition covered the Chukchi and Northwind Ridge.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI)
(September - November) A multidisciplinary team explored the pristine reefs and seamounts of the NWHI, a remote chain of small islands and atolls stretching 1,200 nautical miles northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands.
U-166
(October) In July 1942, the German U-boat 166 was attacked and sank by the U.S. Navy. The science team that discovered the wreck in 2001 returned to study the submarine.
Aquarius Habitat 2003
In 2003, two opportunities existed to visit the world’s only undersea laboratory, including an essay contest and a Girl Scout project.
2002
Signature Expeditions
Sanctuary Quest
(April - September) Aboard the McArthur, the Sanctuary Quest Expedition team conducted research, exploration, and monitoring within and adjacent to a system of national marine sanctuaries along the Pacific coast.
Davidson Seamount
(May) A team explored the Davidson seamount with remotely operated vehicles. Extensive video surveying and biological sampling shed light on this little known undersea island.
Galapagos Rift
(May - June) To mark the 25th anniversary of the historic discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents at the Galápagos Rift, a team of scientists from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and several universities revisited the Galapagos Rift.
Exploring Alaska's Seamounts
(June - July) Scientists studied several unexplored seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska to understand how they formed and to determine their volcanic history.
Submarine Ring of Fire 2002
(June - August) An interdisciplinary exploration team used new technology to investigate the birth of new ocean crust off the coast of western North America, part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
Monitor Expedition 2002
(June - October) Monitor Expedition 2002 was the final phase of a multi-year effort to recover the wreck of this famous Civil War ironclad, located 20 miles off the coast of North Carolina.
Islands in the Stream 2002
(July - August) "Islands in the Stream 2002: Exploring Underwater Oases" consisted of four scientific investigations to study the continental shelf break and slope from the eastern coast of Florida to North Carolina — an area known as the South Atlantic Bight.
Chemosynthetic Life in the Gulf of Mexico
(June - October) A team explored and studied the communities of animals found around deep-sea oil seeps to improve our understanding of the lush habitats that thrive in the absence of sunlight.
Arctic Exploration
(August - September) An international team explored the frigid depths of the remote Canada Basin, located in the Arctic Ocean. Due to the region's heavy year-round ice cover, this expedition was the first one of its kind.
Hudson Canyon
(August - September) An exploration team mapped a significant portion of the slope and rise to the east and west of the Hudson Canyon, off New York and New Jersey.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
(September - November) A team of scientists traveled to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a remote chain of small islands and atolls, to view unexplored seamounts and map pristine coral reefs.
Summary Expeditions
Tribal Journeys
(August) Tribal Journeys was an event among many in a cultural resurgence among Northwest Coast Native Americans and First Nations. Staff from NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary played a small role in helping and documenting the journey as a gift to the Tribes and Nations.
Census of Marine Life
The Census of Marine Life is an international research effort to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine organisms throughout the world’s oceans. Read about some of these efforts.
Continuing the Lewis and Clark Legacy
(August) Based on the exciting results of the 2001 mission to Heceta Bank, an exploration team used modern tools to study the submerged ancient shorelines of the U.S. northwest coast.
The Sustainable Seas Expeditions
(July - August) Sustainable Seas was a five-year project of underwater exploration and discovery of the marine world with special emphasis on the national marine sanctuaries of the United States.
Aquarius
Located 20 meters beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, next to deep coral reefs in the Florida Keys, Aquarius is the world’s only undersea laboratory. Read about an essay contest and a Girl Scout project to visit the underwater habitat.
Sound in the Sea - SIRENA
(May - June) Scientists sailed on the French research vessel Le Suroit to deploy six continuously recording hydrophones around the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north of the Azores.
The Link Project: A Partnership between NOAA and NASA
(Spring) The Link Project fostered collaboration between ocean and space scientists and engineers and promoted the benefits to humankind of ocean and space exploration, research, and related technology development.
2001
Signature Expeditions
Preserving the USS Monitor
(April - October) This exploration focused on the mid-summer recovery of the Monitor's engine, a key step toward recovering of the ship's central turret. This is part of a multi-year project designed to preserve this historic Civil War vessel for future generations.
Islands in the Stream
(May - August) Scientists explored coral reef and hard-bottom communities throughout the Gulf of Mexico. A special focus was the effects of currents on the life cycles and migration patterns of various species.
Continuing the Lewis and Clark Legacy
(June - July) A team mapped the Columbia River's offshore canyon and characterized its physical and biological systems. Astoria Canyon, the westernmost portion of the river's drainage system, is a virtually unexplored biological haven.
Sound in the Sea: Acoustic Monitoring at Pioneer Seamount
(August) A team improved our understanding of the sources of ocean noise by installing a vertical hydrophone array off the coast of central California.
Deep East: Deep Sea Resources off the U.S. Eastern Seaboard
(September) A team characterized deep-sea ecosystems from New England to Georgia with a manned submersible. The three target areas included Georges Bank Canyons, Hudson Canyon, and Blake Ridge.
Summary Expeditions
Laser Line Scan (LLS)
(November) Laser Line Scan (LLS) is an electro-optic imaging technique designed to provide the efficiency and spatial coverage of a remote survey system, at an image resolution approaching that of visual observations. During this exploration, LLS was field tested off the California coast.
The Search for the USS S-5
(July) The exact location of the lost Navy submarine, USS S-5, was discovered during this exploration.
Next Generation Tools: Multibeam Side-scan Sonar
(June - July) Scientists used an experimental system which was, at the time, one of only three in the world, to characterize very small-scale environments in Alaska.
Thunder Bay ECHO: Acoustic Surveying of Shipwreck Alley
(June) During this project, scientists used a new side-scan sonar system to identify shipwrecks in the historic area that became the 13th U.S. National Marine Sanctuary. More than 100 vessels are believed to rest here, but only 40 had been located prior to this mission.
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