2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration – Remotely Operated Vehicle and Mapping Operations
Past Expedition
Overview
From October 31 through November 20, 2019, NOAA and partners conducted mapping and remotely operated vehicle operations from NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to collect baseline information about unknown and poorly understood deepwater areas of the Southeastern U.S. continental margin.
Features
Features provide a deeper dive into expedition-related topics.
The 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration was a 43-day, two-part expedition led by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. Its purpose was to collect critical baseline information about largely unexplored deepwater areas of the Southeastern U.S. continental margin. It addressed scientific themes and priority areas suggested by scientists and managers from NOAA, management agencies in the region, other federal agencies, and the ocean science community. During this expedition off the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, the expedition team mapped and explored a variety of habitats and features, including coral mounds, terraces, slopes, escarpments, and boulders.
February 3, 2020
Whenever NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer plans to explore off the southeast coast of the United States, we know there will be challenges. No matter how much we anticipate and plan for them, it’s always disappointing when we’re unable to deploy the remotely operated vehicles (ROV) and share the wonders of the deep with scientists and other dedicated followers who join us live online. The 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration cruise has certainly had its fair share of challenges and lost dive days. Here’s a little insight into the factors that have been guiding our dive/no dive decisions.
November 18, 2019
This expedition and others offer unique opportunities for explorers of all ages to experience deep-sea exploration in real time through our live streams. By allowing them to share in the wonder of discovery and the fascination of science in action, we hope to inspire interest and curiosity in young minds for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and STEM careers.
November 14, 2019
View Less
This has been quite an exciting expedition when it comes to sponges. We have seen, sampled, or collected in their entirety a number of particularly interesting and abundant sponges, some of which may represent new species or range extensions (i.e., we are seeing known species in places they have not been seen before) and that in some cases also have cultural or medical significance. A few of them are highlighted in this log.
November 11, 2019
Fifty years ago, the company Deep Sea Ventures Inc. performed extensive exploration and a pilot test of deep-sea mining technology on the Blake Plateau. The mining activities at this site were never intended for commercial mining, but rather to test mining equipment. In 1982, the U.S. Geological Survey revisited the site as part of a larger effort to understand the distribution of mineral deposits on the Blake Plateau and the nature of the seafloor environments in which they were located. And, continuing on past efforts to survey the Blake Plateau, the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration team will conduct mapping and remotely operated vehicle operations in order to gather baseline data on the deep-sea benthic environment of the area.
November 7, 2019
Today is World Jellyfish Day. In honor of the occasion, let’s review a few fun facts about jellyfish and take a look at some of the jellies we've encountered on previous expeditions.
November 3, 2019
Today is the first remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dive of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Like on other NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer expeditions, we have our sights set on deepwater areas that have not yet been explored. We are just beginning to understand our deep ocean and the resources that lie within it. With each expedition, we add to our knowledge about these resources and further our abilities to understand, manage, and protect them.
November 1, 2019
From October 31 through November 21, 2019, NOAA and partners will conduct the second part of a two-part telepresence-enabled ocean exploration expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to collect critical baseline information about unknown and poorly understood deepwater areas of the U.S. Southeast. As with previous Okeanos Explorer expeditions, NOAA will work closely with the science and resource management communities to explore priority deepwater areas.
October 24, 2019
In 2016, NOAA launched a new four-year initiative to study deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems across the Southeast United States, a region that includes the U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic Bight, and Caribbean Sea. This multidisciplinary effort, known as the Southeast Deep Coral Initiative (SEDCI), is led by a NOAA team from multiple line offices that work in close collaboration with partners from federal and academic institutions. Funding for SEDCI activities is provided primarily by NOAA through the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program.
October 24, 2019
Deep-sea corals, or cold-water corals, have been around for millions of years. They are globally distributed, with more biological hotspots being discovered every year. Generally, in order to survive, these cold-water corals need the right temperatures, oxygen saturation levels, and a current flow that transports their food supply. When all these conditions are met, deep-sea corals flourish. As corals begin to grow, reefs form and begin to alter the morphology of the seafloor. This is where deep-sea biology meets geology. The scale of seafloor alteration depends heavily on the current systems and the sediments that drift along with the particulate organic matter that the corals feed on.
October 24, 2019
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer expeditions are most well-known for capturing never-before-seen footage of the deep sea and creating beautiful maps of the seafloor. But did you know that these videos and maps are only part of the data that is collected during Okeanos Explorer expeditions?
October 24, 2019
Multimedia
The images and videos from this expedition add context and help bring the expedition to life. Click on a preview image below to view the full image/watch a video and get more information.
Dive Summary Map
The map below shows the location of dives during the expedition. Click on a dive number to access the update from that day.
Education
Ocean Science for Educators provides the best of what the NOAA Ocean Exploration website has to offer to support educators in the classroom. Each theme page includes lessons, fact sheets, ocean facts, exploration notes, multimedia, and related past expeditions and projects. Below are the top education themes related to this expedition.
Team
Each team member’s path to this expedition is unique. Read their bios to find out what makes them ocean explorers.
Biology Science Lead, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University
Geology Science Lead, Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami
Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration
Video Producer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration
Video Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration
Network Systems Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration
Resources & Contacts
Media Contacts
- NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
Emily Crum
Email Address: emily.crum@noaa.gov - NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Vernon Smith
National Media Coordinator
Office: (240) 533-0662
Email Address: vernon.smith@noaa.gov - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
John Ewald
Director of Public Affairs
Office: (301) 427 – 8029
Email Address: john.ewald@noaa.gov - NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
David Hall
Public Affairs Officer
Office: (301) 713 – 7671
Email Address: david.l.hall@noaa.gov