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Abstract:
This video is a live Q&A session with the crew of the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, broadcast on World Ocean Day. The team is on an expedition near Johnston Atoll, one of the most remote atolls on Earth, conducting a seafloor mapping mission. This work contributes to the global Seabed 2030 project and serves as reconnaissance for an upcoming Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) cruise focused on biological characterization.
Throughout the session, the diverse crew—including mappers, interns from various academic backgrounds (pre-med, environmental science), engineers, science communication fellows, and ship officers—discuss their roles and the technology behind deep-sea exploration. Key topics include the process of multibeam sonar mapping, the significant difference in resolution between ship-based and ROV-based systems, and the importance of this work, given that less than a quarter of the ocean floor has been mapped. The discussion also heavily emphasizes the various career pathways into ocean science, highlighting internship opportunities and stressing that a passion for the ocean is the most crucial prerequisite.
Mapping the Deep: A Live Q&A with the Nautilus Crew
0:02 Mission Overview: The E/V Nautilus expedition is mapping the seafloor near Johnston Atoll to contribute to the Seabed 2030 project, which aims to map the entire ocean floor by 2030. The data will also inform a future ROV exploration cruise in the same area.
1:00 Meet the Crew: The video introduces the diverse team conducting the mission, which includes science communication fellows, seafloor mappers, interns, a video engineer, the ship's chief officer, and remotely-participating scientists.
8:16 Diverse Pathways into Ocean Exploration: The crew emphasizes that a formal degree in mapping is not required to work in the field. Team members share their varied backgrounds, including marine biology, pre-med, environmental science, and underwater robotics, highlighting that a passion for the ocean is the key starting point.
11:11 Internship Opportunities: The Ocean Exploration Trust offers internships in science, engineering, and mapping. Applications open in August, and the primary requirements are being over 18, having a passport, and having a strong interest in learning.
15:09 How Seafloor Mapping Works: The team explains that they use a multibeam sonar system that sends out a "cone of sound." By measuring the return time of these sound waves, they can create detailed topographical maps of the seafloor, a process similar to how bats use echolocation.
17:54 From Mapping to Biological Discovery: Remotely-joining Science Manager Taylor Ann Smith explains how the current mapping data is critical for planning the next expedition. The detailed maps will help them target specific geological features for ROV dives to discover and characterize deep-sea life like corals and sponges.
19:37 The "Chirp" Sound Explained: The audible "ping" heard throughout the ship is from the sub-bottom profiler. This instrument uses lower frequency sonar to penetrate the seafloor and reveal the geological layers beneath it.
23:04 The State of Global Ocean Mapping: The crew states that according to unofficial estimates, only about 20-23% of the world's oceans have been mapped to a reasonably high resolution, underscoring the importance of their work.
25:33 Ship vs. ROV Mapping Resolution: A key technological distinction is made: the ship's sonar maps the deep ocean at about 100-meter resolution (one pixel is the size of a soccer field). In contrast, the ROV Hercules can be equipped with a mapping system that achieves centimeter-level resolution, allowing scientists to see features as small as a soccer ball.
35:50 The Importance of Public Outreach: A major goal of the mission is science communication. The crew highlights the need to get the public, including those in landlocked states, excited about ocean exploration and to understand how the ocean's health impacts the entire planet.
42:53 Why They Love the Ocean: Crew members share their favorite parts of being at sea, citing the thrill of being the first to see a part of the planet, the beauty of the open ocean, the importance of contributing to global knowledge, and the strong camaraderie among the team.