2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration

The convergent tectonic boundary that stretches from along the coast of northern California to southern British Columbia provided the backdrop for the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition. While the active geological features, rich biodiversity, and proximity to the coastline mean that this region has been the focus of scientific studies for decades, much about the area, particularly what lies in deeper waters, remains unknown and unexplored. The mapping and ROV exploration that took place during this expedition not only increased our basic understanding of the region, but will also yield data to inform management and protection of regional deep-sea habitats; support local scientists and managers seeking to better manage deep-sea resources; and stimulate subsequent exploration, research, and management activities.

Shakedown Operations

During the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition, the team successfully achieved one of the main expedition goals of evaluating the preparedness of mission systems for the remainder of the 2023 field season. These "shakedown" operations included calibrating, testing, assessing, and then adjusting the ship’s acoustic mapping systems and associated equipment to ensure mapping systems on board Okeanos Explorer are tuned and ready for a full season of exploration and discovery.

The team also conducted six successful shakedown dives to conduct rigorous tests of ROVs Deep Discoverer and Seirios. During these dives, the vehicles were deployed at varying depths to assess and troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and software systems, ensuring that the vehicles are well prepared for the coming field season and operating smoothly after the winter repair period.

During each expedition dive, five water samples were collected at various depths via niskin bottles attached to ROV Deep Discoverer. Once back on board, the expedition team used a U.S. Geological Survey pump filtration system to process the water samples for later eDNA (environmental DNA) analyses, with the goal of testing and evaluating the system for use on future expeditions on Okeanos Explorer.

Deep Dives For Science

Over the course of the expedition, the team conducted nine ROV dives. While engineering objectives were the focus of six of these dives, each dive, regardless of its focus, resulted in new scientific insights that served to increase our understanding of this region. Visual observations made using the cameras on ROVs Deep Discoverer and Seirios resulted in range extensions of several species, observations of organisms demonstrating behaviors not previously seen, and increased understanding of regional geologic context and potential geohazards. Additionally, the team collected 92 biological and geological samples for later analyses. Some scientific highlights from the dives are shown below.

Reaching Out and Engaging

Telepresence technology on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer allows us to engage scientists, students, and members of the public around the world during expedition dives. During the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition, we were able to connect with more than 150 individuals through live ship-to-shore interactions. Additionally, live video feeds from the expedition received more than 50,000 views and expedition web content was visited more than 12,800 times.

On April 28, once Okeanos Explorer arrived in Seattle, Washington, at the end of the expedition, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners hosted tours of the ship for 25 individuals, including members of the media, representatives from the Port of Seattle and the Seattle Aquarium, and staff from NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey. On April 29, a public port event drew over a thousand people who were given tours to see and learn about Okeanos Explorer and the ROVs used to explore the deep ocean. The public also had the opportunity to engage with a variety of NOAA offices, including NOAA Ocean Exploration, the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Office of Coast Survey, NOAA Fisheries, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.

Collecting and Sharing Data

All data collected during the the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition will contribute to EXpanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS), a multiyear, multipartner campaign are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments in waters off California, Oregon, and Washington.

Collected data includes multibeam, single beam, sub-bottom, ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler), XBT (expendable bathythermograph), CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth), and dissolved oxygen profiles; surface oceanographic and meteorological sensors; video and imagery; and physical specimens. All data from this expedition will be publicly available through national archives. A direct link to the expedition data archives will be provided on the expedition landing page of this website once the data are available.

View Expedition Overview