Entering Yaquina Bay, Oregon aboard the NOAA ship Rainier, approaching the Yaquina Bay Bridge with Newport Marina off to the right in the distance.
EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems Active
EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope. EXPRESS data and information are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments.
In response to Section 2 of the Presidential Memorandum (PM) on Ocean Mapping of November 19, 2019, the National Strategy for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has been established. EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) activities focus on the Pacific EEZ. In particular, the unique partnership of EXPRESS allows federal and non-federal entities to collaborate in identified priority areas. These are directly aligned to the National Strategy outlined by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Council on Environmental Quality.
EXPRESS partners include NOAA, BOEM, USGS, MBARI, and USC Sea Grant.
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.
Completed Research Cruises
Date | Location | Ship | Organizations |
---|---|---|---|
October 2017 | Morro Bay, California | Rainier | NOAA MBARI BOEM USGS |
October-November 2017 | Channel Islands, California | Rainier | NOAA |
April 2018 | Morro Bay, California | Rachel Carson | MBARI NOAA BOEM USGS |
July-August 2018 | Cordell Bank NMS and Farallones NMS, California | Shimada | NOAA USGS |
August 2018 | Cascadia Margin, Oregon and California | Rainier | USGS NOAA BOEM |
September 2018 | Morro Bay, California | Rainier | BOEM USGS NOAA |
October 2018 | California and Oregon | Shimada | USGS NOAA MMS |
June 2019 | Cascadia Margin, Oregon and California; more info: “Observing Seafloor Methane Seeps at the Edge of Hydrate Stability” |
Falkor | USGS NOAA |
August 2019 | California and Oregon | Fairweather | USGS NOAA |
September 2019 | California | Bold Horizon | USGS BOEM MBARI |
September 2019 | California | Fairweather | NOAA |
October 2019 | California | Bold Horizon | USGS BOEM |
October-November 2019 | Washington, Oregon, and California; more info: “Research Cruise to Survey Deep-Sea Corals, Sponges, and Fish Habitat Along the West Coast” and “Surveying Deep-sea Corals, Sponges, and Fish Habitat Off the U.S. West Coast” |
Reuben Lasker | NOAA BOEM USGS |
September 2020 | Southern Cascadia Margin, Northern California and Southern Oregon | Western Flyer | MBARI USGS |
Partners
NOAA, BOEM, and USGS are the primary EXPRESS partners. Other partners include MBARI and USC Sea Grant.
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)
Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE)
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.
Virtual Workshop to Identify National Ocean Exploration Priorities in the Pacific, July-September 2020
In partnership with NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER), the Consortium for Ocean Leadership organized the Workshop to Identify National Ocean Exploration Priorities in the Pacific. This workshop was hosted virtually. A virtual opening plenary was held on July 10, 2020. A series of virtual breakout sessions were held in July and August 2020, and a virtual closing plenary was held on September 21 and 22, 2020.
The studies associated with the EXPRESS project are listed below.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Ecosystems: EXPRESS
Hazards: EXPRESS
Resources: EXPRESS
USGS Role in DEEP SEARCH: Deep Sea Exploration to Advance Research on Coral, Canyon, and Cold-seep Habitats
CTD profiles and discrete water-column measurements collected off California and Oregon during NOAA cruise SH-18-12 (USGS field activity 2018-663-FA) from October to November 2018 (ver. 3.0, July 2022)
CTD profiles and discrete water-column measurements collected off California and Oregon during NOAA cruise RL-19-05 (USGS field activity 2019-672-FA) from October to November 2019 (ver. 2.0, July 2022)
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Entering Yaquina Bay, Oregon aboard the NOAA ship Rainier, approaching the Yaquina Bay Bridge with Newport Marina off to the right in the distance.
USGS geophysicist Janet Watt on board NOAA ship Rainier as it sets sail from Newport Marina in Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. Yaquina Bay Bridge is overhead.
USGS geophysicist Janet Watt on board NOAA ship Rainier as it sets sail from Newport Marina in Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. Yaquina Bay Bridge is overhead.
Three-dimensional view of the Hosgri fault 45 meters below the seafloor, revealing fault strands (black), and potential paths along the fault that fluid could follow (green/blue). The other colors represent different geologic layers.
Three-dimensional view of the Hosgri fault 45 meters below the seafloor, revealing fault strands (black), and potential paths along the fault that fluid could follow (green/blue). The other colors represent different geologic layers.
Large submarine slides off southern California (outlined in small white dots). Low-resolution bathymetry shown in light grey (approximately 100 meters/pixel). High-resolution bathymetry shown in darker grey (less than 20 meters/pixel).
Large submarine slides off southern California (outlined in small white dots). Low-resolution bathymetry shown in light grey (approximately 100 meters/pixel). High-resolution bathymetry shown in darker grey (less than 20 meters/pixel).
Phosphorite rock formed on the seafloor in Southern California.
Phosphorite rock formed on the seafloor in Southern California.
USGS geophysicist Jared Kluesner points at a three-dimensional cross-section of seismic data about 40 kilometers across and several kilometers deep located in the Santa Barbara Channel. This imaging deep below the seafloor allows scientists to visualize and map faults better.
USGS geophysicist Jared Kluesner points at a three-dimensional cross-section of seismic data about 40 kilometers across and several kilometers deep located in the Santa Barbara Channel. This imaging deep below the seafloor allows scientists to visualize and map faults better.
Sam Johnson explaining details of the Hosgri fault zone at USGS offices in Santa Cruz.
Sam Johnson explaining details of the Hosgri fault zone at USGS offices in Santa Cruz.
Learn more about the research, and explore the data collected.
EXPRESS Data Viewer
Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS) is an inter-agency federal and nonfederal collaborative research effort aimed at gathering new data of the deep ocean, continental shelf and slope offshore of California, Oregon and Washington. This expansive partnership includes three federal agencies and additional principle investigators from leading research institutes.
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
Below are news stories related to this project.
The primary EXPRESS partners are NOAA, BOEM, and USGS (Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) and Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC)). Other partners include Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and USC Sea Grant.
- Overview
EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope. EXPRESS data and information are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments.
In response to Section 2 of the Presidential Memorandum (PM) on Ocean Mapping of November 19, 2019, the National Strategy for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has been established. EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) activities focus on the Pacific EEZ. In particular, the unique partnership of EXPRESS allows federal and non-federal entities to collaborate in identified priority areas. These are directly aligned to the National Strategy outlined by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Council on Environmental Quality.
EXPRESS partners include NOAA, BOEM, USGS, MBARI, and USC Sea Grant.
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.
Completed Research Cruises
Date Location Ship Organizations October 2017 Morro Bay, California Rainier NOAA
MBARI
BOEM
USGSOctober-November 2017 Channel Islands, California Rainier NOAA April 2018 Morro Bay, California Rachel Carson MBARI
NOAA
BOEM
USGSJuly-August 2018 Cordell Bank NMS and Farallones NMS, California Shimada NOAA
USGSAugust 2018 Cascadia Margin, Oregon and California Rainier USGS
NOAA
BOEMSeptember 2018 Morro Bay, California Rainier BOEM
USGS
NOAAOctober 2018 California and Oregon Shimada USGS
NOAA
MMSJune 2019 Cascadia Margin, Oregon and California; more info:
“Observing Seafloor Methane Seeps at the Edge of Hydrate Stability”Falkor USGS
NOAAAugust 2019 California and Oregon Fairweather USGS
NOAASeptember 2019 California Bold Horizon USGS
BOEM
MBARISeptember 2019 California Fairweather NOAA October 2019 California Bold Horizon USGS
BOEMOctober-November 2019 Washington, Oregon, and California; more info:
“Research Cruise to Survey Deep-Sea Corals, Sponges,
and Fish Habitat Along the West Coast” and
“Surveying Deep-sea Corals, Sponges, and Fish Habitat Off the U.S. West Coast”Reuben Lasker NOAA
BOEM
USGSSeptember 2020 Southern Cascadia Margin, Northern California and Southern Oregon Western Flyer MBARI
USGSPartners
NOAA, BOEM, and USGS are the primary EXPRESS partners. Other partners include MBARI and USC Sea Grant.
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)
Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE)
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.
Virtual Workshop to Identify National Ocean Exploration Priorities in the Pacific, July-September 2020
In partnership with NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER), the Consortium for Ocean Leadership organized the Workshop to Identify National Ocean Exploration Priorities in the Pacific. This workshop was hosted virtually. A virtual opening plenary was held on July 10, 2020. A series of virtual breakout sessions were held in July and August 2020, and a virtual closing plenary was held on September 21 and 22, 2020.
- Science
The studies associated with the EXPRESS project are listed below.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone ScienceEcosystems: EXPRESS
The continental shelf and slope offshore California, Oregon, and Washington are home to deep-sea corals, chemosynthetic communities, and other sensitive habitats that could be impacted by the development of energy and mineral resources. The EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) campaign will map and characterize these special areas to help guide ocean management...Hazards: EXPRESS
Marine geohazards including earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis lie offshore of densely populated areas of California, Oregon, and Washington. One goal of EXPRESS is to improve assessments of these hazards.Resources: EXPRESS
Along the U.S. west coast, the Pacific Ocean, ocean floor, and winds above contain potentially vast energy and mineral resources. Developing these resources safely and wisely requires detailed information for each area of interest. One goal of EXPRESS is to inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions.USGS Role in DEEP SEARCH: Deep Sea Exploration to Advance Research on Coral, Canyon, and Cold-seep Habitats
USGS scientists are collaborating with multiple agencies to provide the esssential foundation for understanding these deep-sea environments.ByEcosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Gulf of Mexico - Data
CTD profiles and discrete water-column measurements collected off California and Oregon during NOAA cruise SH-18-12 (USGS field activity 2018-663-FA) from October to November 2018 (ver. 3.0, July 2022)
This data release supersedes version 2.0, published in September 2021 at https://doi.org/10.5066/P99DIQZ5. Versioning details are documented in the accompanying VersionHistory_P99MJ096.txt file. Various water column variables, including salinity, dissolved inorganic nutrients, pH, total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, radio-carbon isotopes were measured in samples collected using a Niskin-CTD profiles and discrete water-column measurements collected off California and Oregon during NOAA cruise RL-19-05 (USGS field activity 2019-672-FA) from October to November 2019 (ver. 2.0, July 2022)
This data release supersedes version 1.0, published in August 2020 at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9ZS1JX8. Versioning details are documented in the accompanying VersionHistory_P9JKYWQU.txt file. Various water column variables, including salinity, dissolved inorganic nutrients, pH, total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, were measured in samples collected using a Niskin-bottle rosette at select - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Heading back to port, Newport HarborEntering Yaquina Bay, Oregon aboard the NOAA ship Rainier, approaching the Yaquina Bay Bridge with Newport Marina off to the right in the distance.
Entering Yaquina Bay, Oregon aboard the NOAA ship Rainier, approaching the Yaquina Bay Bridge with Newport Marina off to the right in the distance.
On board NOAA ship RainierUSGS geophysicist Janet Watt on board NOAA ship Rainier as it sets sail from Newport Marina in Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. Yaquina Bay Bridge is overhead.
USGS geophysicist Janet Watt on board NOAA ship Rainier as it sets sail from Newport Marina in Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. Yaquina Bay Bridge is overhead.
Hosgri fault 3-D seismic dataThree-dimensional view of the Hosgri fault 45 meters below the seafloor, revealing fault strands (black), and potential paths along the fault that fluid could follow (green/blue). The other colors represent different geologic layers.
Three-dimensional view of the Hosgri fault 45 meters below the seafloor, revealing fault strands (black), and potential paths along the fault that fluid could follow (green/blue). The other colors represent different geologic layers.
Large submarine slides off southern CaliforniaLarge submarine slides off southern California (outlined in small white dots). Low-resolution bathymetry shown in light grey (approximately 100 meters/pixel). High-resolution bathymetry shown in darker grey (less than 20 meters/pixel).
Large submarine slides off southern California (outlined in small white dots). Low-resolution bathymetry shown in light grey (approximately 100 meters/pixel). High-resolution bathymetry shown in darker grey (less than 20 meters/pixel).
Phosphorite rockPhosphorite rock formed on the seafloor in Southern California.
Phosphorite rock formed on the seafloor in Southern California.
Jared Kluesner discusses seismic data visualizationJared Kluesner discusses seismic data visualizationUSGS geophysicist Jared Kluesner points at a three-dimensional cross-section of seismic data about 40 kilometers across and several kilometers deep located in the Santa Barbara Channel. This imaging deep below the seafloor allows scientists to visualize and map faults better.
USGS geophysicist Jared Kluesner points at a three-dimensional cross-section of seismic data about 40 kilometers across and several kilometers deep located in the Santa Barbara Channel. This imaging deep below the seafloor allows scientists to visualize and map faults better.
Sam Johnson explains details of a fault zoneSam Johnson explaining details of the Hosgri fault zone at USGS offices in Santa Cruz.
Sam Johnson explaining details of the Hosgri fault zone at USGS offices in Santa Cruz.
- Web Tools
Learn more about the research, and explore the data collected.
EXPRESS Data Viewer
Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS) is an inter-agency federal and nonfederal collaborative research effort aimed at gathering new data of the deep ocean, continental shelf and slope offshore of California, Oregon and Washington. This expansive partnership includes three federal agencies and additional principle investigators from leading research institutes.
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
- News
Below are news stories related to this project.
Filter Total Items: 17 - Partners
The primary EXPRESS partners are NOAA, BOEM, and USGS (Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) and Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC)). Other partners include Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and USC Sea Grant.