Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Windows to the deep 2018: Exploration of the southeast US Continental margin

March 31, 2019

Windows to the Deep 2018: Exploration of the Southeast US Continental Margin was a 36-day expedition aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to acquire data on priority exploration areas identified by the ocean management and scientific communities. This expedition involved high-resolution multibeam sonar mapping and ROV dives, ranging from 340 m to 3,400 m depth, across the southeast US continental margin. Operations primarily targeted areas with potential to host deep-sea coral and sponge communities, including mounds, ridges, and terraced
features on the continental slope. Dive sites also included maritime heritage sites, a submarine landslide feature, and several submarine canyon slopes, some of which exhibited evidence of active cold seeps. High biological abundance was noted at six of 17 dive sites, three of which also had high biological diversity. Additionally, deep-sea corals or sponges were observed on every dive except one, which was dedicated to gas seep exploration.

Publication Year 2019
Title Windows to the deep 2018: Exploration of the southeast US Continental margin
DOI 10.5670/oceanog.2019.supplement.01
Authors Leslie R Sautter, Cheryl L. Morrison, Kasey Cantwell, Derek Sowers, Elizabeth Lobecker
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Oceanography
Index ID 70205142
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Leetown Science Center