Expedition sets sail to explore active underwater volcanoes in the Marianas

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

The Ocean Exploration Trust’s exploration vessel  Nautilus has set sail to map out the ocean surrounding the Mariana Islands, launching this year’s first expedition, which will later continue in the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands and Wake Atoll. 

Explorers noted that the region is largely shaped by the forces of plate tectonics, with some of the oldest seafloor on the planet being driven into the Mariana Trench and then remelted to bubble up as magma, forming a chain of volcanic islands and subsea volcanoes. 

West of the Mariana Islands, there are more than 60 underwater volcanoes and a complex back-arc spreading center where new seafloor is created. Here, active hydrothermal vents support life in extreme conditions, where unique biology derives energy from the chemicals in vent fluids, rather than most life on Earth that relies on photosynthesis to thrive. 

“OET is thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with the local communities of the Mariana Islands on exploring the deep-sea wonders surrounding their islands,” Derek Sowers, expedition leader and OET mapping manager, said after E/V Nautilus set sail on May 7.

“Our mapping systems will be able to detect changes in the seafloor due to recent seismic or volcanic activity, and we will use our deep-diving robots to reveal new discoveries at hard-to-reach hydrothermal vents, volcanoes and other deep-sea ecosystems," he added.

Using the remotely operated vehicle Hercules and Orpheus Ocean’s Orpheus autonomous underwater vehicle, the team will explore deep-sea areas, including those prioritized by the local management and science community, including sites with signatures of active volcanism, abyssal plain habitats and areas in and around the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

The Mariana Arc is a chain of seamounts and islands, which are all active volcanoes. ROV Hercules exploration will be aimed at investigating active hydrothermal systems at some of the submarine volcanoes and the unique biological communities that live alongside them. Additionally, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the recent geological history and potential geohazards of the region.

“The Mariana region is one of the most volcanically active places on Earth, but most of the action is underwater.  E/V Nautilus will provide us with the technologies needed to explore these exciting, dynamic sites on the seafloor,” said Bill Chadwick of Oregon State University.

Sailing onboard E/V Nautilus for the first time will be the Orpheus AUV, built and operated by Orpheus Ocean.

The Orpheus AUV will allow the team to explore the abyssal seafloor at depths up to 6,000 meters, which has to date been virtually unexplored around the Mariana Islands. During missions, Orpheus AUV will operate near or on the seafloor, performing high-resolution camera surveys as well as water and seafloor sampling.

 Jake Russell, CEO of Orpheus Ocean, said the expedition "is perfectly aligned with our mission to provide scalable methods of access to the world’s most challenging and unknown subsea environments, and will serve as a key early demonstration of our technology’s capabilities and reliability.”

The exploration team comprises local educators, students, scientists, and resource managers from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

This 22-day expedition is supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the U.S. Geological Survey via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.

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