Deep-Sea ROV and Sonar Mapping Data from Pacific Remote Islands

Okeanos Explorer expedition EX1703 collected deep-water mapping and ROV dive data around Howland/Baker and the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. Operations utilized the ROV Deep Discoverer, multibeam sonar, sub-bottom profilers, and acoustic Doppler current profilers. The dataset was published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Classify seafloor substrate types using multibeam sonar backscatter and bathymetry data.
• Analyze water column properties and current profiles from Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and CTD cast data.
• Identify and catalog deep-sea biological communities from ROV dive imagery and video footage.
• Map sub-bottom geological structures and sediment layers using chirp sub-bottom profiler sonar data.
• Correlate fisheries acoustic data from EK60 sonars with ROV observations to assess pelagic biomass.

Strengths

• Data collected using a suite of advanced oceanographic tools including a 6000-meter capable ROV system.
• Real-time ship-to-shore communications enabled continuous data validation and remote expert participation.

Limitations

• Specific data volume, row counts, and file sizes are not provided in the source metadata.
• The primary data format is listed as HTML, which may indicate the platform hosts descriptive pages rather than direct data files.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Collected via ship-based operations using ROVs, multibeam sonar, sub-bottom profilers, ADCPs, and CTD casts.

Freshness

Metadata indicates a last update date of April 2026, suggesting recent maintenance.

Geography

Howland Island, Baker Island, and the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) in the Pacific Ocean.