NOAA Okeanos Explorer Sonar Mapping of Pacific Marine Monuments

Sonar data from a 2015 NOAA expedition mapping previously uncharted seabed areas in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset originates from the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It covers a two-week cruise from July 10 to July 24, 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seabed topography in the Karin Seamount Chain near Johnston Atoll.
• Investigating potential underwater cultural heritage sites south of Oahu.
• Baseline mapping for ecological research within the Papahānaumokuākea and Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monuments.
• Studying sub-bottom sediment profiles in unmapped regions.

Strengths

• Data collection was conducted 24 hours a day using multibeam, singlebeam, and sub-bottom profiler sonar systems.
• Most areas mapped during the cruise had never been surveyed with modern sonar technology before.
• Mapping targeted three specific, scientifically significant regions in the Pacific.

Limitations

• No column names, row counts, or file sizes are provided on any platform, limiting technical assessment.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between platforms (2015 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Continuous multibeam, singlebeam, and sub-bottom profile mapping operations from NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

Time Range

2015-07-10 to 2015-07-24

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:23:32.235494

Geography

North Pacific Ocean, specifically areas south of Oahu, the Necker Island region, and the Karin Seamount Chain near Johnston Atoll.