Watch: ROV Exploration of “Freshwater Everest”
the ROV’s ability to operate in challenging, low-light environments.The livestream is hosted aboard the research vessel Blue Heron and brings together award-winning filmmakers Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick from Inspired Planet Productions, along with freshwater ecologist Dr. Michael Rennie.The expedition seeks to answer a fundamental ecological question: Is Superior Shoal to freshwater life what seamounts are to ocean life — critical refuges of abundance and biodiversity
Autonomous Temperature-Sensing Technology Monitors Snow, Ice Conditions
providing data for climate researchers, avalanche forecasters, hydroelectric power companies, engineers, transportation and logistics planners and flood risk evaluators. Data from SIMBA units has contributed to more than 70 peer-reviewed research papers to date and 28 units were used on the MOSAiC expedition, billed as the largest polar expedition of all time.In Canada, SIMBA units have been deployed as part of The Churchill River Monitoring project, which was established after a flood caused by an ice jam at the outlet into Goose Bay required the evacuation of a nearby community. The units autonomously
University of Gothenburg to Buy New AUV
The University of Gothenburg will buy a new underwater vehicle to replace Ran, the AUV that was lost under a glacier in Antarctica in 2024.A large donation means that researchers can plan for new expeditions.The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Ran contributed to groundbreaking research, education and technological development for six years. The most groundbreaking results were achieved during risky missions under the floating glaciers of Antarctica. It was also during one such mission that Ran was lost in January 2024.“Thanks to Ran, we became the first researchers in the world to enter
Ponant Promotes Cruising with Scientists
Institution (WHOI) comes at a time when access to remote areas such as polar regions has been challenged by cuts to science funding.Since 2021, Ponant Explorations Group has hosted more than 230 scientists across its fleet. Through this new alliance, WHOI scientists will now join select Ponant expeditions—many aboard the luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot—to conduct fieldwork, test emerging technologies, and share their expertise through interactive guest programming.The company will also provide grant funding to help support WHOI’s polar science work.“At Ponant Explorations
Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition Exhibit Opens at the Scottish Maritime Museum
A powerful exhibition exploring Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary Antarctic expedition aboard the Endurance (1914-1917) has opened at the Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside.Fortitudo by Italian artist Paola Folicaldi Suh features scenes and portraits which vividly reimagine the extraordinary survival story of Shackleton and his crew who left Britain on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition or ‘Endurance Expedition’ in 1914. Although Shackleton failed to complete the first overland crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole, all 26 crew members survived despite two
Novel Hydrothermal System Links Two Seabed Phenomena
An international research team led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has discovered a globally unique system on the seabed off the coast of Papua New Guinea.During their expedition aboard the research vessel Sonne, they came across the “Karambusel” field, where two processes occur simultaneously: the release of hot hydrothermal fluids and unusually high amounts of methane and other hydrocarbons.This combination makes the system unique worldwide.It lies at a depth of around 1,300 meters on a flank of Conical Seamount in the western Pacific, off the island of Lihir in
Exploring Ocean Canyons, SOI Strikes Again with Groundbreaking Research
Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle SuBastian shines light on an offshore canyon in Argentine waters nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon — capturing images and video of 40 suspected new species, coral fields, and a seastar that resembled a famous cartoon character.An Argentinian-led expedition on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) has captured the attention of millions, inspiring a predominantly Argentine audience with live video feeds from the deep seafloor. Over the past three weeks, nearly 4 million people tuned in to Schmidt Ocean Institute’s divestream
Lander Lab: Chilean Ocean Lander Data Acquisition and Control System
functioning and to determine whether the data was properly stored in the microSD card.At Sea DeploymentThe first Integrated Deep-Ocean Observation System (IDOOS II) cruise was conducted from 27 September to 9 October 2023 in the Antofagasta region onboard the RV Abate Molina. The main goal of this expedition was to deploy the first deep-ocean observation system to study the physical, geological, and biological structures of the area. In addition, the new lander was launched to confirm improvements in electronic systems and structural design, gather data on the physical variability of the water column
Shipwreck Windfall: ROV Expedition Captures Maritime History
The chill, freshwater depths of Lake Ontario may not first come to mind when thinking about shipwrecks, but an expedition by the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) at the University of Rhode Island (URI) is challenging that perception. Its star explorer? A compact but mighty Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) named Rhody. What began as a mission to support NOAA’s interest in high-resolution shipwreck documentation within the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary has evolved into a dynamic academic research experience merging innovation, partnership and the expanding role of robotics in
August 2025
