Okeanos Explorer (EX2206): Voyage to the Ridge 3 (ROV and Mapping)

Vessel: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer; Expedition Dates: August 6 - September 2, 2022

Project Principals: Kasey Cantwell, NOAA/OAR/OER (Expedition Coordinator); Sam Candio, NOAA/OAR/OER (Mapping Lead)

From August 6 - September 2, 2022 (Horta, Faial, Azores to San Juan, Puerto Rico) NOAA Ocean Exploration completed the Voyage to the Ridge 3 expedition (EX-22-06), a combined mapping and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) expedition to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Azores Plateau, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and U.S. waters in the vicinity of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Operations during this 28-day expedition included the completion of 9 successful ROV exploration dives in the vicinity of the Azores, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of the Azores, and Puerto Rico. ROV dives were conducted in water depths ranging from 250 m to 6000 m for a total of 41 hours of bottom time. EX-22-06 also collected 56,769 square kilometers of seafloor bathymetry and associated water column data using an EM304 multibeam sonar. All data associated with this expedition have been archived and are publicly available through the NOAA Archives.

Joao Valadao Ridge

Area

Joao Valadao Ridge; Terceira Rift

Overview

Date:	August 7, 2022
Max Depth:	2155.6 Meters
Bottom Time:	4 Hours 52 Minutes 32 Seconds

Purpose

The Joao Valadao Ridge, between Terceira and Sao Miguel, provides an opportunity to explore an area of the Terceira Rift just north of the Hirondelle Basin. The steep slope was expected to have exposed hard surfaces likely to support diverse coral and sponge communities.

East of Formigas Rift

Area

East of Formigas Rift; Azores Plateau

Overview

Date:	August 8, 2022
Max Depth:	844.8 Meters
Bottom Time:	6 Hours 59 Minutes 53 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive is to explore and characterize the geology of the Terceira Rift in the eastern part of the Formigas.

Azores Plateau Mid-water

Area

Azores Plateau Mid-water; Azores Plateau

Overview

Date:	August 9, 2022
Max Depth:	1900.4 Meters
Bottom Time:	5 Hours 37 Minutes 2 Seconds

Purpose

This midwater exploration will help characterize the mesopelagic and bathypelagic habitats, the least explored biomes on the planet.

Western Kane Transform Fault

Area

Western Kane Transform Fault; Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Overview

Date:	August 18, 2022
Max Depth:	1918.4 Meters
Bottom Time:	3 Hours 50 Minutes 44 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive is to explore and characterize the benthic communities and the geology on an unexplored inside corner high at Kane Transform Fault/Fracture Zone.

n/a

Area

n/a; n/a

Overview

Date:	August 25, 2022
Max Depth:	n/a
Bottom Time:	n/a

Purpose

n/a

Mona Block

Area

Mona Block; Puerto Rico and the USVI

Overview

Date:	August 26, 2022
Max Depth:	1633.7 Meters
Bottom Time:	4 Hours 8 Minutes 28 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive was to characterize the geology and benthic communities at the Mona Block, an anomalous bathymetric high that was formed at the plate boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates.

Lang Bank

Area

Lang Bank; Puerto Rico and the USVI

Overview

Date:	August 29, 2022
Max Depth:	690.7 Meters
Bottom Time:	7 Hours 18 Minutes 43 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive is to explore and characterize essential fish habitats and associated benthic communities at Lang Bank.

SW St. Croix

Area

SW St. Croix; Puerto Rico and the USVI

Overview

Date:	August 30, 2022
Max Depth:	611.6 Meters
Bottom Time:	7 Hours 15 Minutes 58 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive is to explore and characterize essential fish habitats and associated benthic communities on the southwest corner of St. Croix, on a landslide deposit.

Main Ridge

Area

Main Ridge; Puerto Rico and the USVI

Overview

Date:	August 31, 2022
Max Depth:	6012.2 Meters
Bottom Time:	1 Hours 6 Minutes 56 Seconds

Purpose

The primary objective of this dive is to explore and characterize the geology and biology on a fault zone south of the Main Ridge in the Puerto Rico trench.