Building on the successful Argo network of seafaring temperature and salinity sensors, work is underway to deploy 1,000 floats equipped to study ocean biogeochemistry in greater detail than ever.
research at sea
A Cagey Approach to Speedy and Safe Seafloor Deployments
Researchers devised a simple way to deliver ocean bottom seismometers accurately to the seafloor to study ongoing seismic and volcanic activity near the islands of Mayotte.
Navigating the Pacific with Wind, Waves, and Stars
Ancient Polynesian voyagers sailed thousands of kilometers with no maps or compasses; they followed nature’s clues. Using the same tools, the Moananuiākea Voyage will set sail from Alaska and circle the Pacific.
Mapping a River Beneath the Sea
A recent expedition mapped one of the world’s longest submarine channels, revealing previously undiscovered physical features and raising questions about its unusual origin and shape.
An Ambitious Vision for the Future of Scientific Ocean Drilling
Scientific ocean drilling is an enduring paragon of global research, advancing knowledge of Earth and informing scientists and educators for 55 years. A new road map plots the way to further discovery.
Arctic Unicorns and the Secret Sounds of a Glacial Fjord
The successful deployment of a seafloor seismometer near the calving front of a Greenland glacier has opened a new avenue to study hidden glacial processes and the behavior of fjord-dwelling wildlife.
An Iceberg May Have Initiated a Submarine Landslide
A new study shows that icebergs may initiate submarine landslides when they collide with the seafloor.
Hydrothermal Vents May Add Ancient Carbon to Ocean Waters
Data from a long-distance research cruise provide new insights into carbon cycling in the eastern Pacific and Southern Oceans.
Vestiges of a Volcanic Arc Hidden Within Chicxulub Crater
Scientists discovered magmatic remnants of a volcanic arc by dating granitic rocks of the middle crust excavated by, and hidden within, the Chicxulub impact crater.
A Deep Dive into Organic Carbon Distribution in Hadal Trenches
Researchers use sediment cores to study the amount and origin of sediment organic carbon in one of the least studied regions of the planet: hadal trenches.