Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals

Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals
  1. Home
  2. Expeditions
  3. Lophelia II 2012 Expedition

Mission Overview

The Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals expedition was the final cruise in a four-year research mission to explore and study deepwater or “cold-water” coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico. This cruise was the first dedicated scientific study of deep-sea corals on actively producing oil and gas platforms.

Learn more

Recent Updates

In a little over a week at sea, we visited four deepwater oil and gas production platforms and one subsea installation, surveying these manmade structures for coral coverage and collected high-quality imagery and video, coral samples for genetic work, and water and sediment samples for related ecological studies.

Mission Summary

In a little over a week at sea, the expedition team visited four deepwater oil and gas production platforms and one subsea installation, surveying these structures for coral coverage and collecting high-quality imagery and video, coral samples for genetic work, and water and sediment samples for related ecological studies.

Read more
Meet chief scientist on the Lophelia II expedition, Jay Lunden, and read the story of how a change in perspective landed him where he is today.
Change in Perspective
Read more
Learn how U.S. Geological Survey scientists are using a technique called 'box coring' to collect deep-sea mud for chemical and biological analyses.
Mud, Mud Everywhere...
Read more
Accurate dating of Lophelia pertusa skeletons is important to understand two very important life history characteristics of this deep-sea coral: growth rate and age. During this cruise, I am collecting coral branches from Lophelia on oil and gas platforms to use for radiocarbon dating.
A First Date: Radiometric Dating
Read more
Mission Logs
Mission Logs
Image Gallery
Image Gallery
For Educators
For Educators
Background Information
Background Information
Media Resources
Media Resources
Meet the Explorers
Meet the Explorers
Related Links