Tune in through March 18, 2016 for a journey aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to investigate and document deep-water environments in and around the PapahÄnaumokuÄkea Marine National Monument in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Scientists will use an unmanned remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, that can dive 3.7 miles to explore never before seen deep-sea habitats, marine animals, coral and sponge communities.
Weather permitting, we're making frequent dives which are broadcast live, so if you have Internet access you can watch in real-time. The ship will also conduct deep-sea mapping efforts during overnight transits. Expanding on data collected in this area during the 2015 Hohonu Moana expedition, the information collected will help resource managers make key decisions to protect the health and integrity of this precious ecosystem.
More information about this expedition and the rest of the 2016 Okeanos Explorer field season is available online. This mission contributes toward the second year of the much broader Campaign to Address Pacific monument Science, Technology, and Ocean NEeds (CAPSTONE).