EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems

Map of the U.S. west coast, including offshore areas to be studied during the EXPRESS campaign.

The power and value of EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) is in fusing multiple data sets across research cruises to support U.S. government missions of growing commerce, increasing resource independence, maintaining national security, and evaluating environmental impacts. Cooperative studies by government agencies, universities, and research institutions will collect multibeam bathymetry, backscatter sonar images, photos, videos, and samples; and synthesize new and existing data for many purposes. EXPRESS partners include NOAA, BOEM, USGS, MBARI, and USC Sea Grant.

The ultimate goal of EXPRESS is to develop comprehensive digital elevation models, habitat maps, and geologic maps, which are needed to address important issues associated with marine spatial planning, ecosystem assessments, geohazards, and the impact on sensitive ecosystems of offshore infrastructure development.

Priorities

• Extend bathymetry and backscatter coverage to high priority areas
• Create a seamless map with benthic habitat classifications for targeted regions
• Locate and characterize deep sea coral, sponge, and chemosynthetic communities, including associated fish populations
• Identify underwater geological hazards and evaluate their potential for generating tsunamis
• Investigate deep-sea minerals of potential industry interest
• Use the complementary capabilities of federal assets to produce integrated datasets
• Provide a foundation of publicly accessible data and information to spur further exploration, research, and management
• Engage a broad cross-section of the scientific community and the public 

Fieldwork

EXPRESS partners have completed several research cruises using ships from NOAA, university, and non-profit oceanographic research institutions. More cruises are planned and under discussion. Every participating organization has contributed resources including ships, instruments, and personnel.

The NOAA ship Rainier completed several EXPRESS research cruises offshore of California and Oregon in 2017 and 2018. Credit: NOAA

Explore this interactive overview of some completed EXPRESS research cruises.

NOAA, BOEM, and USGS are the primary EXPRESS partners. Other partners include MBARI and USC Sea Grant.

EXPRESS workshop participants, November 2018, Santa Cruz, California.

Federal Partners

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• National Ocean Service (NOS) – Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Office of Coast Survey
• NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) – Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program
• Ocean and Atmospheric Research (OAR) – Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
• National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) – National Centers for Environmental Information
• Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM):

• Pacific Region
• Environmental Studies Program

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

• Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC)
• Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC)

Non-Federal Partners

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

University of Southern California Sea Grant (USC Sea Grant)

Planning Workshop, November 29-30, 2018

Core EXPRESS participants held a planning workshop at the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California. Attendees discussed objectives, refined priorities for future work, and reviewed accomplishments to date.

USGS research geologist Jenna Hill proposed new geophysical surveys at the EXPRESS workshop, November 2018, Santa Cruz, California