From April to October 2024, the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer will embark on a series of groundbreaking ocean exploration expeditions. These missions, a part of NOAA Ocean Exploration’s ongoing efforts, will focus on the largely unexplored deepwater regions surrounding Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll. The data gathered during these voyages will be crucial in establishing a baseline understanding of these areas, paving the way for future research, conservation, and sustainable management initiatives. These expeditions are critical for expanding our knowledge of the ocean, and the Explorer 2024 missions promise significant discoveries.
Anticipated operating area for the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in fiscal year 2024, highlighting the regions of Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll targeted for deep-sea exploration. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration.
The waters of Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll are incredibly diverse, encompassing a wide array of ecosystems and dynamic geological formations. This region is not only rich in biodiversity, harboring numerous protected species and pristine marine environments, but also holds cultural significance as ancestral waters for Pacific voyaging cultures. These waters may also contain undiscovered shipwrecks and cultural landscapes revered by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific. Recognizing the ecological, cultural, geological, and biological importance of these areas, significant portions have been designated as marine protected areas, such as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The explorer 2024 expeditions are set to further investigate these vital marine sanctuaries.
Scorpionfish and mushroom coral observed during the Deep-Sea Symphony expedition in 2017, part of NOAA’s CAPSTONE initiative, showcasing the biodiversity of the Pacific deep sea. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration.
The deep-sea environment of Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll was identified as a high-priority area during the 2020 Consortium for Ocean Leadership Workshop, which focused on defining national ocean exploration priorities in the Pacific. Subsequently, the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Exploration and Characterization included this region in the Strategic Priorities for Ocean Exploration and Characterization. Despite its recognized importance, much remains unknown about the geological and biological systems of this deep ocean realm and the complex interactions within these ecosystems. The explorer 2024 initiative is designed to address these knowledge gaps.
As humanity increasingly looks towards the deep ocean for resources and ecological services, the need for comprehensive data for sustainable management and protection becomes ever more critical. While the ocean is vast, insights gained from focused exploration, like the explorer 2024 missions, can provide valuable understanding applicable to similar habitats and biodiversity hotspots worldwide. Furthermore, these explorations contribute significantly to our broader understanding of Earth’s geological history, processes, and potential geohazards.
Seamount mapped near Honolulu, Hawai’i, during the Mountains in the Deep expedition in 2017, illustrating the geological features targeted by NOAA’s ocean exploration efforts. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration.
These expeditions are integral to the broader Beyond the Blue: Illuminating the Pacific campaign, a multi-year, multi-partner effort to explore and research both U.S. and international waters across the remote Pacific Islands. The data and information collected during Beyond the Blue, including the explorer 2024 expeditions, aim to significantly expand the scope of coastal and ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization throughout the Pacific Islands region. NOAA Ocean Exploration and its partners are committed to fostering strong relationships and collaborations with Indigenous communities, local stakeholders, and various government agencies throughout Beyond the Blue. Building upon previous successful initiatives like the Campaign to Address Pacific monument Science, Technology, and Ocean NEeds (CAPSTONE) from 2015-2017, and ongoing work through the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) and Ocean Exploration Trust, this campaign and the explorer 2024 expeditions are designed to create a publicly accessible foundation of knowledge. This resource will be valuable for diverse sectors and communities, advancing our collective understanding of the Pacific Islands region and its deep-sea environments.
Stern of the USS Baltimore, a WWI-era sea mine laying ship, discovered during the Deep-Sea Symphony expedition in 2017, highlighting the potential for historical discoveries during ocean exploration missions. NOAA Ocean Exploration image.
The explorer 2024 expeditions will utilize the Okeanos Explorer‘s advanced suite of deepwater acoustic systems. These include Kongsberg EM 304 multibeam sonar for high-resolution seafloor mapping, Simrad EK60 and EK80 split-beam fisheries sonars for water column characterization, a Knudsen 3260 chirp sub-bottom profiler sonar to investigate subsurface geology, and a Teledyne acoustic Doppler current profiler for current measurements. The ship’s high-bandwidth satellite connection enables real-time ship-to-shore communications, facilitating collaborative science. Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) rosette operations will also be conducted to gather essential oceanographic data.
Planned Expeditions for Explorer 2024
NOAA and its collaborative partners are planning seven telepresence-enabled expeditions throughout the waters of Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll in 2024 as part of the Beyond the Blue campaign. Live data streams from the multibeam sonar mapping operations will be publicly accessible in real-time, allowing for broad participation from shore-based scientists and the public. These explorer 2024 expeditions are numbered EX2401 through EX2407 and will involve various operational modes and ports of call throughout the region.
Aggregation of brisingid sea stars observed during the Hohonu Moana expedition in 2016 within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, illustrating the deep-sea biodiversity of the region. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration.
The mapping data collected during these explorer 2024 expeditions will be instrumental in planning future Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) dives, enabling systematic and targeted exploration in subsequent years. These ROV dives, planned for depths ranging from 250 to 6,000 meters, are expected to explore vital deep-sea habitats, including coral and sponge communities, areas important for marine resources, fracture zones with potential geohazards, and the water column.
NOAA is actively incorporating input and priorities from resource managers, gathered through a 2024 call for input, to refine expedition objectives and optimize operating areas for the explorer 2024 missions.
Rounded cobbles with manganese coating, possibly ancient beach remnants, discovered during an expedition near Kingman Reef & Palmyra Atoll, revealing geological history through deep-sea exploration. Image courtesy of OET/NOAA.
Goals of the 2024 Expeditions
The NOAA priorities for the deep waters of Hawai’i and Johnston Atoll, driving the explorer 2024 expeditions, are comprehensive, integrating science, education, outreach, and open data access. The primary goals include:
- Enhancing Knowledge for Management: To improve understanding of unexplored deepwater areas, directly informing management strategies for sensitive habitats, geological features, and potential resource management.
- High-Resolution Bathymetric Mapping: To gather high-resolution bathymetry data in areas currently lacking quality sonar data. This effort expands bathymetric mapping coverage, supporting both the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and the global Seabed 2030 initiative.
- Water Column Habitat Characterization: To characterize water column habitats using advanced acoustics and emerging technologies, gaining insights into pelagic ecosystems.
- Predictive Capability Enhancement: To collect data that enhances predictive models for vulnerable marine habitats, seafloor composition, seamount formation, plate tectonics, hydrothermal vents, critical mineral deposits, and submarine geohazards.
- Biogeographic Pattern Investigation: To investigate biogeographic patterns and connectivity within deep-sea ecosystems. This research will facilitate comparisons across the Pacific basin and improve understanding of how these ecosystems respond to climate change and other environmental stressors.
- Geological Feature Mapping and Sampling: To map, survey, and sample geological features, including fault and fracture zones, hydrothermal vents, and extinct polymetallic sulfide systems. This will improve our understanding of the region’s geological context and enhance knowledge of past and potential future geohazards.
- Broad Engagement and Open Data: To engage a wide range of scientists and the public through telepresence-based exploration. Making publicly accessible information and data products will stimulate further exploration, research, and informed management decisions.
- Culturally Sensitive Operations: To conduct expeditions co-developed with Native Hawaiian researchers and community members, ensuring culturally relevant and respectful approaches to ocean exploration and research.
Diverse deep-sea corals and sponges observed during the Ala ʻAumoana Kai Uli expedition within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, highlighting the rich biodiversity of these protected areas. Image courtesy of OET/NOAA.
Get Involved with Explorer 2024
NOAA Ocean Exploration’s expeditions on board Okeanos Explorer, including the explorer 2024 series, are open collaborations with the scientific community, local stakeholders, Indigenous communities, and resource managers. Throughout the expedition season, numerous opportunities exist to participate. Real-time video and data feeds will be streamed online via the oceanexplorer.noaa.gov website, enabling active remote engagement. Shore-side team members can contribute to daily operations, analyze incoming data, and assist in generating standard data products. Participating scientists represent diverse marine science interests, contribute to real-time data annotation and logging, and help engage a broader community of explorers remotely.
Detailed information about Okeanos Explorer‘s capabilities and how to participate in expeditions is available on the NOAA Ocean Exploration website. Individuals interested in active participation and receiving updates about the explorer 2024 expeditions should request a collaboration tools account. For specific details or questions, please contact:
Trish Albano
Expedition Manager
[email protected]
Published April 9, 2024 Last updated January 7, 2025
