Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas

EOI scientists participated in several ROV dives remotely via "telepresence" during the 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas expedition by the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer.  During Leg 1 of the expedition, EOI co-led three dives in the Mariana backarc, exploring the site of a recent eruption  and two newly discovered hydrothermal vent fields. All of these discovered during a recent cruise on R/V Falkor in Nov-Dec 2015, and set the stage for further exploration during a follow-on R/V Falkor cruise in December 2016.  During Leg 3 of the Okeanos expedition, EOI co-led three dives in at three volcanically active seamounts, each with its own unique ecosystem.  The expedition was supported by the NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research Program.