The continental shelf and slope offshore California, Oregon, and Washington are home to deep-sea corals, chemosynthetic communities, and other sensitive habitats that could be impacted by the development of energy and mineral resources. The EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) campaign will map and characterize these special areas to help guide ocean management decisions.
The EXPRESS Campaign
EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope.
The potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on the human, coastal and marine environments must be evaluated in order to make environmentally sound decisions about managing energy and mining activities and developing mitigation measures. EXPRESS will explore, map, and measure regions of interest on the U.S. west coast outer continental shelf in order to improve computer models of benthic habitats.
EXPRESS priorities that contribute to ecosystem assessments include:
- Locate and characterize deep sea coral, sponge, and chemosynthetic communities, including associated fish populations
- Create a seamless map with benthic habitat classifications for targeted regions
- Extend bathymetry and backscatter coverage to high priority areas
This ecosystems study is part of EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems). Studies associated with the EXPRESS project are listed below.
EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
“Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research” — Learn how our multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States, through this colorful geonarrative.
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
Below are news stories associated with this project.
The continental shelf and slope offshore California, Oregon, and Washington are home to deep-sea corals, chemosynthetic communities, and other sensitive habitats that could be impacted by the development of energy and mineral resources. The EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems) campaign will map and characterize these special areas to help guide ocean management decisions.
The EXPRESS Campaign
EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope.
The potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on the human, coastal and marine environments must be evaluated in order to make environmentally sound decisions about managing energy and mining activities and developing mitigation measures. EXPRESS will explore, map, and measure regions of interest on the U.S. west coast outer continental shelf in order to improve computer models of benthic habitats.
EXPRESS priorities that contribute to ecosystem assessments include:
- Locate and characterize deep sea coral, sponge, and chemosynthetic communities, including associated fish populations
- Create a seamless map with benthic habitat classifications for targeted regions
- Extend bathymetry and backscatter coverage to high priority areas
This ecosystems study is part of EXPRESS (Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems). Studies associated with the EXPRESS project are listed below.
EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
“Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research” — Learn how our multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States, through this colorful geonarrative.
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
Below are news stories associated with this project.