Explore the depths of the ocean through the eyes of a robot

Wednesday, August 12, 2015, 4:39 PM - NOAA's Okeanos Explorer is once again treating us to amazing views of the bottom of the ocean, this time from deep waters off the coast of Hawaii. Here's how to watch those views, live.

While researchers have produced amazing maps of the ocean floor and Google will even let you explore parts of it in a watery version of their "street view," much of the ocean depths have not been closely explored.

Scientists working on board NOAA's Okeanos Explorer ship have been whittling away at this daunting task since 2009, exploring the deep waters around the North American continental shelves, the mid-Atlantic Canyons, Indonesia.

This year, the crew and science team are sending their deep sea submersible to investigate the ocean floor around the Hawaiian islands, including the areas around the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and Johnston Atoll (aka Kalama Atoll).

The purpose of this exploration is to map the sea floor, to chart the specific geology of the region, to identify the management needs of the national monument, and to identify and characterize the vulnerable habitats around the islands.

The best part for us, the public, is that the operations of their ROVs (remote operated vehicles) is broadcast in a continual livestream that we can watch at any time, and enjoy the spectacular undersea views these robots are witness to.

View from Camera 1

View from Camera 2. Note: the ROV live feeds appear to be always active, however the ROV itself is not always operating.

This particular campaign - designated Hohonu Moana: Exploring the Deep Waters Off Hawai’i - runs until September 30, 2015, leaving us plenty of time to watch these fascinating operations.

The researchers also keep a running log of all of their activities, which can be viewed on the NOAA Okeanos Explorer website.

Source: NOAA