Current expedition

Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands II

July 25 – August 16, 2026
Current Status
Sonar Mapping
Update
We are currently mapping areas with gaps in high-resolution data coverage within the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. We will assess conditions for a dive tomorrow at 9 am Guam time. 
4 hours ago
Ship Location
Caroline Islands
Our team is not available to answer questions at this time.

Current Watch

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Scientist

Hercules Pilot

Hercules Pilot

Atalanta Pilot

Navigator

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Seafloor Mapping FSM
Credit
A. Flinders, USGS

After moving out of the region around the Mariana Islands impacted by Super Typhoon Dolphin’s heightened wind and swells, we are now safely in the EEZ of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). We are grateful to have been granted a permit by the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM NORMA) to assist them in gathering mapping data and potentially ROV and AUV surveys within priority regions (black lines) of their national waters. Orange icons indicate previous deep-sea observations of the seafloor in FSM dating back to the 1960s from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's R/V Vema. There's an enormous amount left to learn about this massive ocean nation.