The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: New Ways For Exploring the Ocean

Abstract

Since its inception in 2001 in response to the report of the President’s Panel on Ocean Exploration (McNutt et al., 2000), the Ocean Exploration Program of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) has made exciting discoveries across all fields of oceanography. Some of the most spectacular discoveries have been related to seamounts, specifically the “North Atlantic Stepping Stones” expedition off the coast of New England (http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05stepstones) and the “Ring of Fire” expedition in the Pacific Ocean (http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06fire).

Keywords

• Okeanos Explorer
• seamounts
• ocean exploration
• telepresence