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A collage of imagery showing a couple of seafloor photos with a map to show where the underwater photos were taken.
Screenshot of the California Seafloor video and photo portal
Screenshot of the California Seafloor video and photo portal
Screenshot of the California Seafloor video and photo portal

Interactive map (here with added labels) allows viewers to zoom into areas of interest; video tracklines appear in purple and photograph locations (dots) in red. (At scales shown here, red dots are too closely spaced to distinguish.) Clicking on a trackline starts video in the lower-left window and associated photographs in the lower-right window.

Interactive map (here with added labels) allows viewers to zoom into areas of interest; video tracklines appear in purple and photograph locations (dots) in red. (At scales shown here, red dots are too closely spaced to distinguish.) Clicking on a trackline starts video in the lower-left window and associated photographs in the lower-right window.

Examples of map products produced for an offshore canyon area of the seafloor.
Hueneme Canyon and Vicinity example maps
Hueneme Canyon and Vicinity example maps
Hueneme Canyon and Vicinity example maps

Six of 12 map sheets included in the USGS CSMP map-set publication “Hueneme Canyon and Vicinity,” the first CSMP Santa Barbara Channel map set to be published. A, bathymetry; B, seafloor character; C, perspective views; D, potential habitats; E, shallow subsurface geology and structure; F, offshore-onshore geology and geomorphology.

Six of 12 map sheets included in the USGS CSMP map-set publication “Hueneme Canyon and Vicinity,” the first CSMP Santa Barbara Channel map set to be published. A, bathymetry; B, seafloor character; C, perspective views; D, potential habitats; E, shallow subsurface geology and structure; F, offshore-onshore geology and geomorphology.

Map of water and land with outlines on land and pointers to areas to identify areas of study.
Hood Canal and Lynch Cove
Hood Canal and Lynch Cove
Hood Canal and Lynch Cove

Northwestern Washington, showing locations of Puget Sound, Hood Canal, and Lynch Cove. Boundaries of Olympic National Park are outlined in red.

Northwestern Washington, showing locations of Puget Sound, Hood Canal, and Lynch Cove. Boundaries of Olympic National Park are outlined in red.

 Many species of invertebrates living together on a steep submarine canyon wall
Assemblage of invertebrates living on a steep submarine canyon wall
Assemblage of invertebrates living on a steep submarine canyon wall
Assemblage of invertebrates living on a steep submarine canyon wall

Assemblage of invertebrates living on a steep submarine canyon wall, seen during the Deepwater Canyons 2013 - Pathways to the Abyss.

Assemblage of invertebrates living on a steep submarine canyon wall, seen during the Deepwater Canyons 2013 - Pathways to the Abyss.

A camera system sits on a boat deck with all its components attached to a frame sits on a boat deck.
BOBSled with its major components labeled
BOBSled with its major components labeled
BOBSled with its major components labeled

BOBSled with its major components labeled. The system collects high-definition (HD) video images of seafloor as deep as 100 meters and is easily hand deployed from a small boat. The video imagery is viewed and recorded in real time at the surface.

BOBSled with its major components labeled. The system collects high-definition (HD) video images of seafloor as deep as 100 meters and is easily hand deployed from a small boat. The video imagery is viewed and recorded in real time at the surface.

A wall of Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals with bonus octopus neighbor.
Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals
Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals
Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals

A wall of Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals with bonus octopus neighbor.

A narrow waterway, in a wet, marshy area with brown grasses, winds its way to a larger body of water, hills in the background.
Estuarine salt marsh of San Francisco Bay
Estuarine salt marsh of San Francisco Bay
Estuarine salt marsh of San Francisco Bay

Photo for upcoming seminar titled, “Sediment delivery across the bay-marsh interface of an estuarine salt marsh,” by Jessie Lacy.

Photo for upcoming seminar titled, “Sediment delivery across the bay-marsh interface of an estuarine salt marsh,” by Jessie Lacy.

Image: Rocky and Sandy Seafloor Offshore California
Rocky and Sandy Seafloor Offshore California
Rocky and Sandy Seafloor Offshore California
Rocky and Sandy Seafloor Offshore California

Image of ripples in sand, next to a rocky surface on the seafloor 2.5 km (1.5 miles) offshore San Mateo County, California at a depth of 24.6 meters (81 feet). The two red dots in the image (from lasers mounted on the camera and used as reference points) are 15 cm (6 inches) apart.

 

Image of ripples in sand, next to a rocky surface on the seafloor 2.5 km (1.5 miles) offshore San Mateo County, California at a depth of 24.6 meters (81 feet). The two red dots in the image (from lasers mounted on the camera and used as reference points) are 15 cm (6 inches) apart.

 

A man carries a bundle of material along a dock near a boat.
Research vessel Centennial
Research vessel Centennial
Research vessel Centennial

Loading the research vessel (R/V) Centennial at its home port, Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, on San Juan Island, Washington.

Loading the research vessel (R/V) Centennial at its home port, Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, on San Juan Island, Washington.

Two men wearing hard hats and lifejackets stand on the stern of a boat, one man guides a metal coring device into the wate
Kasten core deployment
Kasten core deployment
Kasten core deployment

USGS scientists Peter Swarzenski and Cordell Johnson deploying a 3-meter (10 foot) kasten corer off R/V Centennial.

USGS scientists Peter Swarzenski and Cordell Johnson deploying a 3-meter (10 foot) kasten corer off R/V Centennial.

Photo taken from a boat with many cables and winches, looking out over the water to mountains in the background.
View of Olympic Mountains in Hood Canal
View of Olympic Mountains in Hood Canal
View of Olympic Mountains in Hood Canal

View toward the Olympic Mountains from the R/V Centennial in Hood Canal, Washington.

View toward the Olympic Mountains from the R/V Centennial in Hood Canal, Washington.

Thermal image looking out on a beach.
Two thermal infrared images of a beach
Two thermal infrared images of a beach
Two thermal infrared images of a beach

Two thermal infrared (TIR) images of a submarine groundwater vent site off west Maui showing the influence of tides on the spatial extent of submarine groundwater discharge. Top, Image taken at high tide. Bottom, Image taken a low tide.

Two thermal infrared (TIR) images of a submarine groundwater vent site off west Maui showing the influence of tides on the spatial extent of submarine groundwater discharge. Top, Image taken at high tide. Bottom, Image taken a low tide.

View looks out across a verdant marsh with a sinuous water channel running through it, a large body of water in background.
China Camp State Park marsh
China Camp State Park marsh
China Camp State Park marsh

Estuarine salt marsh at China Camp State Park looking towards San Pablo Bay, northern San Francisco, California.

Estuarine salt marsh at China Camp State Park looking towards San Pablo Bay, northern San Francisco, California.

Underwater photograph of a coral reef with fish swimming.
Restored coral reef off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo
Restored coral reef off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo
Restored coral reef off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

A restored coral reef off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, showing a mix of both concrete “Reef Balls” to rebuild reef topographic complexity and a variety of out-planted natural corals to increase coral coverage and species diversity.

A restored coral reef off Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, showing a mix of both concrete “Reef Balls” to rebuild reef topographic complexity and a variety of out-planted natural corals to increase coral coverage and species diversity.

Two people maneuver big floats attached to hoses and equipment off the stern of a ship.
Components of oceanic seismic survey equipment
Components of oceanic seismic survey equipment
Components of oceanic seismic survey equipment

USGS technicians Eric Moore (left) and Jenny White deploy air guns (silver cylinders), compressor hose (black), and orange buoys at the start of a seismic survey to explore gas hydrates in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

USGS technicians Eric Moore (left) and Jenny White deploy air guns (silver cylinders), compressor hose (black), and orange buoys at the start of a seismic survey to explore gas hydrates in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

A crane removes a large metal container off of a ship sitting at the dock.
Craning off seismic equipment
Craning off seismic equipment
Craning off seismic equipment

Seismic equipment is craned off research vessel Pelican at the dock in Cocodrie, Louisiana, after a 15-day expedition to explore gas hydrates in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

Seismic equipment is craned off research vessel Pelican at the dock in Cocodrie, Louisiana, after a 15-day expedition to explore gas hydrates in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

Water running through a dam on a river.
San Clemente Dam in 2013
San Clemente Dam in 2013
San Clemente Dam in 2013

The San Clemente Dam, built in the 1920s on the Carmel River in Monterey County, California, was removed during 2014 and 2015.

The San Clemente Dam, built in the 1920s on the Carmel River in Monterey County, California, was removed during 2014 and 2015.

Underwater photo of a rocks.
Elwha River rocks
Elwha River rocks
Elwha River rocks

Screen capture of a video collected March 8, 2013, on the west side of the Elwha River delta in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington. Seafloor is about 30 meters (100 feet) deep. This area has strong currents and a lot of material (suspended sediment) in the water. Two red laser dots near the bottom of the video are 10 centimeters (nearly 4 inches) apart.

Screen capture of a video collected March 8, 2013, on the west side of the Elwha River delta in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington. Seafloor is about 30 meters (100 feet) deep. This area has strong currents and a lot of material (suspended sediment) in the water. Two red laser dots near the bottom of the video are 10 centimeters (nearly 4 inches) apart.

Underwater photo showing corals, a sandy section in between them, and a sea turtle swimming.
Sea turtle off Olowalu on northwest side of Maui
Sea turtle off Olowalu on northwest side of Maui
Sea turtle off Olowalu on northwest side of Maui

Snapshot from a video collected February 12, 2013, off the Olowalu area on the northwest side of the Hawaiian island of Maui. Seafloor is about 10 meters (30 feet) deep. This setting provides an example of extremely clear tropical water and ambient light. The sea turtle's shell is approximately 1 meter (3 feet) long.

Snapshot from a video collected February 12, 2013, off the Olowalu area on the northwest side of the Hawaiian island of Maui. Seafloor is about 10 meters (30 feet) deep. This setting provides an example of extremely clear tropical water and ambient light. The sea turtle's shell is approximately 1 meter (3 feet) long.

A large tripod frame holds instruments and the photo is labeled to show what is what.
USGS deepwater tripod
USGS deepwater tripod
USGS deepwater tripod

New USGS deepwater tripod, called the free-ascending tripod, or FAT. Here, it sits on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf in Santa Cruz, California.

New USGS deepwater tripod, called the free-ascending tripod, or FAT. Here, it sits on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf in Santa Cruz, California.