Person: Claudia Morales

Claudia Morales Garrido is a master’s student in Oceanography at the University of Valparaíso and the Catholic University of Valparaíso, supervised by Dr. Manuel Castillo. At the same time, she is part of the Laboratory of Physical and Satellite Oceanography (LOFISAT) at the University of Valparaíso as a data analysis technician for oceanographic and satellite … Continued

Cruise: High Seas and Seamounts of the Nazca Ridge

8 July - 9 August 2024 #NazcaHighSeas Lush forests of deep-sea corals and sponges host animals and organisms that defy imagination. Many endangered or threatened species like sea turtles, blue whales, and sharks travel here to feed on the abundant nutrients upwelling from the deep. The 8000-meter-deep Atacama Trench, the Southeast Pacific Oxygen Minimum Zone, … Continued

Cruise: Microbes in Oxygen Minimum Zones

Expedition dates: April 12 - May 15, 2024 Oxygen Minimum Zones, or OMZs, are areas in the water column with less oxygen, primarily due to naturally occurring physical and biological processes within the Ocean. The core of the OMZs is anoxic, making them inhospitable to most large animals, yet microbes have adapted to live and … Continued

Cruise: Unexplored Seamounts of the Salas y Gómez Ridge

Expedition dates: Feb. 24 - Apr. 4, 2024 The Salas y Gómez Ridge extends off the coast of Chile to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, in the Central Pacific. Created by volcanism, these underwater mountains provide essential habitats for deep-sea organisms, supporting some of the highest marine endemism globally. Many of the species … Continued

Cruise: Seamounts of the Southeast Pacific

Expedition dates: Jan. 8 - Feb. 11, 2024 Underwater mountains, or seamounts, are remarkable features on the seafloor, playing an integral role in oceanic processes and connectivity. Rising up from the depths, seamounts create complex current patterns that influence what lives on and above them. They are an oasis for deep-sea communities, providing food, shelter, … Continued

Log Post: Feeding the reef

Today we start mapping the pathway between the surrounding ocean and the amazing coral population of the Scott Reef system. Due to the lack of rainfall and strong heating in the region, the ocean has a very strong vertical temperature gradient – as much as 30 °C at the surface, and then colder as you … Continued

Log Post: The Presence of Microplastics

At last, the day we’ve been waiting for is here! After what felt like forever of planning this cruise, today we finally departed from Balboa, Panama. The excitement is real, and I cannot wait to see what this journey has in store for us. I am part of the team from Aalborg University, and we … Continued

Cruise: Ultra Fine-Scale Seafloor Mapping

Expedition dates: October 25 - November 23, 2023 Seafloor mapping is integral to oceanographic research. Bathymetric data illustrate the seafloor’s depth, contours, and physical features, and it is often the first essential step in planning a successful submersible operation. The typical tool for seafloor mapping, multibeam sonar, creates three-dimensional topographical outlines—rather than visual images. Physical … Continued

Cruise: Dynamics of Sinking Microplastics

Expedition dates: August 2 - August 7, 2023 Plastic pollution is pervasive in our Ocean. The most prevalent component of plastic pollution isn’t large pieces of trash floating on the surface, but tiny bits of waste called “microplastics” that are found throughout the water column. Ranging from 5 mm in diameter (a pencil eraser) down … Continued

Log Post: Ocean drivers of reef productivity

Coral reefs are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, with the primary producers at the base of the food chain (including corals) supporting their complex food webs. Through primary production, reef organisms covert carbon dioxide via photosynthesis into energy (organic carbon) that they and other reef organisms use for food. Although light provides … Continued