Most people learn about deep sea discoveries in the days and weeks after marine biologists make them, but you don’t need to be aboard a research vessel to experience new finds in real-time. Since July 19, a crew on the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Okeanos ship has conducted regular surveys of the abyssal plains near the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. And if your schedule is free later today, you can join the exploration.
On August 3 at approximately 5:30 p.m EDT, the expedition’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is scheduled to arrive at the seafloor after a three-hour descent. At a depth of nearly 3.5 miles, the pitch-black abyssal waters (and its residents) will require illumination from onboard lights. Over roughly four hours, the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) will examine and map the deep sea environment and water column about 0.6 miles from the boundary with American Samoa, while using onboard sensors to collect marine data. These include CTD-mounted (conductivity, temperature, and depth) equipment, an acoustic Doppler profiler, and already deployed Argo floats. The new information will help inform future exploration plans while also gaining a better understanding of the region’s current environmental health, as well as increase public awareness on conservation efforts.
Camera 1: 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration (EX2605)
“The cruise is a scientific exploration and mapping activity that supports the Cook Islands’ understanding of its deep ocean. It will help build baseline knowledge of areas that remain difficult to access and not well understood,” reads the expedition’s website.
The Cook Islands lack many natural resources apart from deep ocean minerals, and NOAA’s surveys are intended to help local Cook Islands representatives develop better plans for economic growth. That said, NOAA confirmed the mission does not immediately authorize any commercial seabed harvesting.
Additional livestreams are planned nearly daily until the mission’s conclusion on August 13. All surveys are subject to local weather conditions.
