Introducing the Orpheus AUV

During the Mattingan Mariana Arc Volcanic Exploration expedition the team welcomed the Orpheus autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from Orpheus Ocean aboard E/V Nautilus for the very first time. The Orpheus AUV is built to explore abyssal depths up to 6,000 meters, including being able to access the abyssal plain which has to date been virtually unexplored east of the Mariana Trench. The vehicle can operate near or on the seafloor performing high-resolution camera surveys and is equipped to conduct water and seafloor sampling. Check out some of the first images from the depths in this these survey areas.

The Mattingan: Mariana Arc Volcanic Exploration (NA171) expedition is exploring deep-sea areas identified by the local management and science community, including sites with signatures of active volcanism, abyssal plain habitats, and areas in and around the Monument where new data can support resource management priorities. This expedition is supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the US Geological Survey via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.