This expedition marks the fourth season of E/V Nautilus exploring Canadian waters in partnership with Ocean Networks Canada. The main objective of this expedition is to provide maintenance and support of Ocean Networks Canada’s NEPTUNE observatory located off the west coast of Canada. This 800 km loop of fiber optic cable supplies continuous power and Internet connectivity to a broad suite of subsea instruments, enabling scientists to operate instruments remotely and receive data at their home laboratories anywhere on the globe in real time.
The NEPTUNE observatory spans one of the widest ranges of ocean environments found anywhere in the world, ranging from the outer coast of Vancouver Island to a mid-ocean ridge. Five observatory nodes collect data on physical, chemical, biological, and geological aspects of the ocean over long time periods, supporting research on complex Earth processes in ways not previously possible. These long-term observations have wide-ranging policy applications in the areas of climate change, earthquakes and tsunamis, port security and shipping, sovereignty and security, and ocean sound management.
This expedition will include work at four NEPTUNE observatory sites including Barkley Canyon, Clayoquot Slope, Cascadia Basin, and Endeavour Vent Field. In addition to deploying, recovering, and providing maintenance for various observatory sensors and instruments, Nautilus will also conduct seafloor mapping surveys, ROV surveys, and sampling.
Sponsored by: Ocean Networks Canada & University of Victoria
