Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping (EX2306)

Past Expedition

Primary Goal

Map, explore, and characterize ecologically and economically important deepwater habitats in unexplored regions off Alaska

Dates

August 23 - September 14, 2023

Location

Arctic

Vessel

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

Primary Technology

Multibeam sonar, remotely operated vehicles Deep Discoverer and Seirios

Expedition Summary

From August 23 – September 14, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners conducted the fifth in a series of Seascape Alaska expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. Operations during this 23-day expedition included 19 successful remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives conducted in water depths ranging from 253 – 4,262 meters (830 – 13,983 feet), mapping of 28,287 square kilometers (10,922 square miles) of seafloor, and the collection of a wide variety of biological and geological samples. Altogether, data from the Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping expedition will contribute to our collective baseline understanding of the ocean, improving our ability to protect and manage marine ecosystems and furthering public awareness of the splendor, importance, and interconnectivity of the ocean to our everyday lives. View full expedition summary.

View summary video

During the Seascape Alaska 5 expedition, the team navigated challenges ranging from rough weather to poor visibility, and completed 19 deepwater remotely operated vehicles (ROV) dives in the Gulf of Alaska and coastal fjords.

Operational Summary

Days at sea: 23
Full ROV dives: 19, ranging in depth from 253 – 4,262 meters (830 – 13,983 feet)
Biological samples collected: 72 primary samples, 197 associates
Geological samples collected: 32 primary samples, 13 associates
Water samples collected for eDNA analysis: 70
Seafloor area mapped: nearly 28,287 square kilometers (10,922 square miles)
Science party participants: >50
Live video views: Approximately 222,000

Read full expedition summary

Map showing the location of the 19 dives successfully conducted during the Seascape Alaska 5 expedition, as well as preliminary bathymetry data collected during mapping operations. *Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska.*
Download largest version (jpg, 302 KB).

Expedition Summary

From August 23 - September 14, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners conducted the fifth in a series of Seascape Alaska expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

January 22, 2024

This unidentified specimen, seen in situ on a rocky outcropping at a depth of about 3,300 meters (~2 miles), was seen on August 30, 2023, during Dive 07 of the Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping expedition.

Unidentified Golden Specimen Captures Public Imagination

September 7, 2023

Search for Prinsendam

On September 9, the Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska Remotely Operated Vehicle Exploration and Mapping expedition team will explore the wreck of Prinsendam, a 427-foot cruise liner that sank off Sitka, Alaska in 1980 after the second greatest rescue operation in the history of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

September 5, 2023

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Expedition Overview

NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners will map, explore, and characterize ecologically and economically important deepwater habitats in unexplored regions off Alaska.

August 17, 2023