What does it take to truly see the seafloor? Turns out, you must listen! Researchers on R/V Falkor (too) are testing a sonar system new to scientific seafloor mapping: Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (InSAS). Combining bathymetric data with acoustic imagery allows scientists to paint an incredibly detailed picture of the seafloor using sound beams. InSAS … Continued
From a delicate box of seashells gifted by her mother, to otherworldly ecosystems at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, Marine Biologist Verena Tunnicliffe has spent more than four decades studying our Ocean. Driven by a passion to understand the nature and functions of novel communities, she shares her experiences working on interdisciplinary teams and how diverse voices … Continued
You can’t see anything at the bottom of the ocean without the help of technology. Sailors originally created seafloor maps using weighted ropes, known as lead lines, that they would throw over the side of ships; the rope went slack when it hit bottom. After recording the depth, the sailors would create rough topographic maps … Continued
Stunning 800-meter long coral reef discovered with Schmidt Ocean Institute’s underwater robot off Galápagos Islands Video and photos available here. Puerto Ayora, Ecuador– Scientists examining underwater cliff ecosystems onboard research vessel Falkor (too) using the 4,500 meter robot, ROV SuBastian, have discovered two pristine coral reefs in the waters surrounding the Galápagos Islands. These newly … Continued
Dive into a world of unparalleled natural beauty and biodiversity in this ROV highlight reel from the #CliffReefs expedition. Our awe-inspiring journey took us through two of the most pristine and protected areas in the world, where we were fortunate to document amazing displays of nature’s splendor. The expedition’s multidisciplinary team worked to map and … Continued
A mountain range starts off the coast of Galápagos Islands and ends south of Costa Rica — as part of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, it exists in one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. In this near-pristine underwater habitat, deep-sea corals are extremely important, providing homes for fish, crustaceans and a host … Continued
“What we don’t sometimes realize is that under the water, we have this amazing topography. So you have valleys and hills and mountains, ravines, crevasses – you have places where continental plates are rubbing against each other, and that creates an entirely new space… it is a big three-dimensional connected area.” The #CliffReefs team is … Continued
“The moon has been mapped to much higher detail than the deep sea. It’s a massive cliche, but it is true: We know more about the face of the moon than we know about our own deep ocean.” Different types of maps will reveal different characteristics of a place. The Galápagos Islands are iconic sites … Continued
“Vertical deep-water coral reefs are areas where essentially corals live on the side of an underwater cliff.” Imagine walking in a forest, but then the entire scene is shifted 90 degrees – the forest is flipped up on its side. Everything in that ecosystem – living on the trees and vegetation – is still there, … Continued
Would you follow a trail of crabs? While it took a huge array of the latest technology – sonars, chemical sensors, a remotely operated vehicle and more – the biggest clue that the team was on the right path came from squat lobsters leading the way. Join in the excitement of this momentous discovery and … Continued
