University Of New Hampshire

Dense thickets of the reef-building coral Desmophyllum pertusum (previously called Lophelia pertusa) make up most of the deep-sea coral reef habitat found on the Blake Plateau in the Atlantic Ocean. The white coloring is healthy – deep-sea corals don’t rely on symbiotic algae, so they can’t bleach. Images of these corals were taken during a 2019 expedition dive off the coast of Florida. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2019.

World's Largest Known Deep-sea Coral Reef Habitat Found

, which included imagery from 23 submersible dives in addition to mapping data, were collected as part of a coordinated, multi-year ocean exploration campaign involving NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute partners Ocean Exploration Trust and the University of New Hampshire , the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Temple University , and the U.S. Geological Survey, with contributions from Fugro , the NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council .The largest area, nicknamed "Million Mounds"

A group of four images (top to bottom): an image of the Visual Lab at University of New Hampshire/Joint Hydrographic Center, an uncrewed surface vessel during survey operations, a digital terrain map of the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor, NH., and an image of an autonomous underwater vehicle being deployed. (Image credit: NOAA and University of New Hampshire/Joint Hydrographic Center)

New Ocean Mapping Center Partnership

NOAA and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are expanding a 24-year ocean and Great Lakes mapping partnership through the creation of a new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping.“NOAA and UNH have a long history of collaborating to advance the latest technologies and tools to map our ocean, coasts and Great Lakes — a cornerstone of the blue economy,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator. “Our continued partnership on the Center of Excellence will help build a workforce ready to tackle the mapping challenges of the future, and further our

Exail and UNH Open Maritime Autonomy Innovation Hub

A new innovation hub at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) will engage in all aspects of marine autonomous operations to help meet the challenges of the growing blue economy. High-tech industrial group Exail will use the new center to deliver increased operational advantage to U.S. civil and government customers. This includes the U.S. production of its uncrewed surface vessel (USV), DriX, the housing of a remote operation center to conduct worldwide remote autonomous operations, establishing local operations, maintenance and training facilities, and providing expertise on maritime autonomy

Image of the schooner-barge Ironton as it sits on the lake floor today. This image is a point cloud extracted from water column returns from multibeam sonar. Image Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Discovery: Historic Shipwreck Found in Lake Huron

Huron claimed Captain Girard and four other Ironton crew: Mate Ed Bostwick, Sailor John Pope, and two unidentified sailors.Autonomous surface vessel (ASV) BEN pictured in the Rogers City Marina. Image Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine SanctuaryPilots from the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping operate ASV BEN from the Mobile Lab in Rogers City, Michigan. Image Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine SanctuaryQUOTABLE: Dr. Robert Ballard, President, Ocean Exploration Trust: “Our team is proud to

The Saildrone Surveyor in Alaska’s Dutch Harbor at the beginning of the Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition. (Photo: Saildrone)

Uncrewed Saildrone to Explore Remote Alaskan Waters

and Characterization. All work conducted will contribute to the Seascape Alaska regional mapping campaign.Data will be collected by the innovative Saildrone Surveyor , the world’s largest and most advanced uncrewed surface vessel for ocean exploration. Along with Saildrone , the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping and NOAA Ocean Exploration staff will manage at-sea operations.The Surveyor is equipped with a suite of instruments to collect acoustic, oceanographic, and meteorological data to support a wide range of research applications. Piloted remotely

iXblue DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV). Photo courtesy iXblue

DriX USV Delivered to UNH CCOM

The University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH CCOM), as a member of the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration, took delivery of an iXblue DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) and its Universal Deployment System. The autonomous solution will help expand the footprint and efficiency of the OECI’s ocean exploration operations. Delivered in July to UNH CCOM, DriX and its novel Universal Deployment System have completed sea acceptance trials and extensive personnel training during the summer of 2021 as well as integratio

Orpheus AUV was one of several technologies tested aboard Okeanos Explorer in 2021 to enable deeper and more comprehensive exploration than previously possible. Credit: Art Howard Photography/GFOE

MTR 100: NOAA ... Working at the Interface of Exploration and Education

avoid hazards, and recognize seafloor features that may be of scientific interest.NOAA Ocean Exploration is using new autonomous technologies to meet ambitious mapping and exploration goals. Through the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), a multi-year grant was provided to the University of New Hampshire, Saildrone, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to test and integrate acoustic and other sensors into a new larger class of uncrewed surface vehicles powered by wind and solar power. The 22m Saildrone Surveyor is designed to collect bathymetry of the seafloor, water column

This image depicts simulated turbulence in a waterway where a virtual tidal farm can be installed. The Stony Brook research team will use such simulations to investigate potential renewable ocean energy options. Photo Credit: Ali Khosronejad

DOE awards Atlantic Marine Energy Center $10m for Renewable Ocean Energy Research

that address ongoing needs for sustainable renewable ocean energy. The Stony Brook team has received $2 million to conduct their research, which is part of a $9.7 million Department of Energy four-year grant given to a consortium of academic institutions on the east coast led by the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The AMEC will be one of only four National Marine Renewable Energy Centers in the country.The Stony Brook team from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) includes Ali Khosronejad (Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Director of the AMEC and Assistant Professor in the

NOAA HSRP Public Meet Webinar set for September 1-2, 2021

meeting will focus on issues related to hydrographic and navigation services, observations and positioning including topics affecting the NOS’ Office of Coast Survey, Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, National Geodetic Survey, and the University of New Hampshire’s and NOAA’s Joint Hydrographic Center (JHC) and Center for Coastal Ocean Mapping. The HSRP advises the NOAA Administrator on matters that affect marine transportation, safe navigation, commercial shipping, ocean and coastal stewardship including sea level rise, resilience