SEARCH, Inc. (SEARCH) is partnering with Ocean Exploration Trust and others to conduct a telepresence-enabled expedition aboard E/V Nautilus to explore the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM). SEARCH Maritime Principal Investigator Dr. Michael Brennan will serve as Co-Lead Scientist, while Senior Vice President Dr. James Delgado will serve as Co-Investigator Ashore.
The research team will conduct remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and seafloor mapping operations primarily on the northwestern section of the Monument. Covering over 1.5 million square kilometers, PMNM is the largest marine protected area in the United States. In addition to exploration of various seamounts, the team will potentially investigate several historically-significant shipwrecks associated with the Battle of Midway. If historic shipwrecks are located, Dr. Brennan will lead non-intrusive, ROV-based archaeological characterizations.
The expedition is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. You can learn more about the expedition here. The operations can be viewed live here.
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