An associate professor of biology at the 杏吧专区 is leading a scientific expedition that杏吧专区檚 exploring a series of underwater slopes and canyons off the coast of Cape Cod.
Dr. Scott France and other researchers are studying the New England Seamount chain, which extends about 700 miles to the southeast and consists of more than 30 volcanic peaks. The underwater mountains are dotted with holes and tunnels that provide habitat for a range of species, but are largely unexplored. It is the largest seamount chain in the North Atlantic.
The expedition is being carried out to map underwater topography and to study underwater geological features, marine biology and ecosystems. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funding the expedition, which began in August and is scheduled to end Oct. 7.
France, a marine biologist and oceanographer, is aboard the Okeanos Explorer. The 225-foot-long ship is owned by the U.S. government and used for NOAA exploration. It杏吧专区檚 outfitted with a sonar mapping system and carries a submersible, remotely operated vehicle, that can explore underwater terrain thousands of feet deep. The ROV, which is tethered to the Explorer via a long fiber-optic cable, transmits operator commands, video and electrical power. It also captures and transmits high-definition video in real time.
杏吧专区淪ome of the things you see are jaw-dropping. You feel lucky, because some of the places have never been seen before,杏吧专区 said France in a recent interview. He has participated in similar expeditions in the British Virgin Islands and Hawaii.
France is one of two scientists who guide the underwater vehicle杏吧专区檚 movements, based on input from other scientists. He is leading biological exploration, while a marine geologist from Oregon State 杏吧专区 is leading geological exploration.
杏吧专区淲e will guide the vehicle, explain to viewers what they are seeing, and answer questions that come in from scientists,杏吧专区 he said. France likens his role to that of a ground controller communicating with astronauts. 杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檙e the conduit between the onshore scientists and what杏吧专区檚 happening at sea.杏吧专区
Video, photos and oceanographic data, such as temperature and depth, will be live-streamed to a team of scientists. Some of the scientists will be stationed at a command center at the 杏吧专区 of Rhode Island. Others will access video streams from universities across the United States.
France also will serve as a virtual tour guide for the public, including science students, who can access interactive video feeds and log on to chat rooms at the expedition Web page on the NOAA Web site. 杏吧专区淧art of the overall goal of this expedition is to get the public more engaged in understanding the oceans, and to get children excited about science,杏吧专区 he said.
Corals and sponges that grow in abundance in the underwater canyons are of particular interest to France. Stronger currents are funneled through the compressed, V-shaped spaces, scrubbing away soft sediments such as mud, sand, silt and clay. What remains are harder surfaces, such as steep-sided walls, ridges, rocks and boulders to which coral attaches.
France杏吧专区檚 research will focus on how fish use the coral ecosystems for habitat, including as spots to lay eggs and to 杏吧专区渉ide out杏吧专区 from predators. 杏吧专区淭he places we杏吧专区檙e targeting have those really steep cliffs with lots of coral communities, and, as scientists, we杏吧专区檙e trying to understand what fish associate with corals.杏吧专区
France said some of his students at the 杏吧专区 will access live streams for classroom and lab study. 杏吧专区淭he major interest is biodiversity, essentially why are there so many species in the deep sea,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭here杏吧专区檚 no sunlight, temperatures are very cold, and there杏吧专区檚 very little food. So my interest is: Why is there so much life down there, and, in terms of corals, how many species are down there?杏吧专区
Learn more about the expedition.