News

News and information updates from NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners.

Ocean exploration is a dynamic and exciting field. New discoveries and explorations, advances in technology, and important findings in deep-ocean science happen all of the time. Below, you’ll find stories highlighting news and information from NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners, including recent accomplishments and announcements as well as information about upcoming events and activities.

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer FY23 and FY24 U.S. West Coast and Alaska Expeditions
Opportunity
Call for Input: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer FY23 and FY24 U.S. West Coast and Alaska Expeditions
As part of our community-driven exploration model, NOAA Ocean Exploration invites you to submit exploration recommendations for mapping, remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operations for Fiscal Years (FY) 2023 and 2024 on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer off the U.S. West Coast and Alaska.
May 26, 2022
The “Marine World Magnified” and “Fintastic Faces” stations featured microscopes for students to examine the intricate skeletons of coral and the larval form of many local fish species. Students were then challenged to match the larval form to the adult fish in a game of “what will I become?”
Education
Ocean Exploration Education Mini-Grants Support “Ocean Explorers” Event for South Florida Students
On Earth Day (April 22, 2022), the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) hosted an “Ocean Explorers” event for about 100 middle and high school students from under-resourced schools in Miami, Florida.
May 10, 2022
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer is skillfully piloted from shore over a boulder field in a canyon on the West Florida Shelf in the Straits of Florida during Dive 06 of the 2022 ROV and Mapping Shakedown.
Discovery
Shoreside ROV Piloting Narrows Gap Between Ship and Shore
During a recent expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, an engineer on shore, over a thousand miles away from the ship, successfully piloted a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the deep ocean. A first for NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration, this test of piloting an ROV from shore opens new possibilities for deep-ocean exploration.
May 4, 2022
The artifacts shown here, including the tryworks and an anchor, helped confirm that the shipwreck explored during the February 25 dive is likely the remains of Industry, an historically significant 19th century whaler.
DiscoveryMedia Release
NOAA, Partners Discover Wreck of 207-year-old Whaling Ship in Gulf of Mexico
NOAA and partners today announced the discovery of the wreck of a 207-year-old whaling ship, called Industry, found on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
March 23, 2022
Jeremy Weirich joins NOAA Ocean Exploration as new director.
Event
New NOAA Ocean Exploration Director Announced
On March 14, NOAA Ocean Exploration will welcome Jeremy Weirich as the new office director.
February 28, 2022
This yellowfin flagfish was photographed between a colony of lace corals during a 2018 expedition to collect information on unknown and poorly understood deepwater areas surrounding Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Discovery
Successful Multiyear Effort to Study Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges in the Southeast United States
NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program has completed its multiyear highly collaborative effort known as the Southeast Deep Coral Initiative.
January 26, 2022
Deep Ocean Education Project
Education
The Deep Ocean Education Project Website Earns Gold
The Deep Ocean Education Project website was recently awarded a MarCom Gold Award in the Pro Bono category of the International Competition for Marketing & Communication Professionals.
January 25, 2022
Educators engage during a USNA/NOAA Ocean Exploration cooperative Engineering to Explore the Ocean professional development workshop.
EducationOpportunity
Ocean Exploration Education Grants Announced
NOAA Ocean Exploration and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation have awarded seven education grants to help engage and inspire the next generation of ocean explorers by supporting efforts related to ocean literacy, stewardship, and workforce development.
January 19, 2022
Person looking at large-scale bathymetry images. Image courtesy of the Inner Space Center
Event
NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute Webinar Series Available for Viewing
Throughout Fall 2021, as part of the NOAA Science Seminar Series, the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) presented a six-part series of virtual public seminars to introduce the OECI. Recordings of each seminar are available for viewing.
January 11, 2022
2021 NOAA Ocean Exploration interns during a conference call with NOAA Research leadership.
EducationOpportunity
2022 Explorer-in-Training Program Application Period Now Open
The application for the 2022 Explorer-in-Training Program is now open!
January 7, 2022
Infographic showing various milestones achieved along the way to two million square kilometers mapped.
Discovery
NOAA Ocean Exploration Meets Major Mapping Milestone on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer
Two million square kilometers. It’s the area of seafloor mapped by NOAA Ocean Exploration using the modern, high-resolution multibeam sonar system aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer since the ship was commissioned in 2008.
November 15, 2021
This Google Earth map shows surface oil slick plots reported from satellite imagery from 1997 to 2019 along with the historic reported sinking position of SS Bloody Marsh and the target ultimately found during Dive 02 of Windows to the Deep 2021.
Discovery
Discovery of SS Bloody Marsh
On October 28, 2021, NOAA Ocean Exploration discovered the likely wreck of SS Bloody Marsh, an oil tanker sunk off the coast of South Carolina by a German U-boat in 1943.
November 1, 2021
Shipworms burrowing into cypress tree remains.
Event
Federal Communications Commission Special Event Station (W4U) Celebrating the Alabama Undersea Forest
Calling all ham radio operators: The Federal Communications Commission has authorized special event callsign W4U to operate through Saturday, September 11, 2021.
September 2, 2021
This project will create open-source software tools and workflow for scientists to process and interact with large volumes of ocean sonar data natively on the cloud.
Opportunity
Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2021 Funding Opportunity Awards
Through the Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2021 Funding Opportunity, NOAA Ocean Exploration selected eight projects for financial support totaling approximately $3.5 million.
July 13, 2021