Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals

July 22 Log: Meet chief scientist on the Lophelia II expedition, Jay Lunden, and read the story of how a change in perspective landed him where he is today.
July 21 Log: Learn how U.S. Geological Survey scientists are using a technique called "box coring" to collect deep-sea mud for chemical and biological analyses.
Want to learn more about the science, tools, and partnerships that are driving the Lophelia II 2012 expedition? Check out this page for articles on deepwater corals in the Gulf of Mexico, coral growth rates, the application of science towards ocean energy issues, and more.
Check out our "Ocean Explorer Expedition Education Module." With lesson plans, multimedia elements, career information, and more, this module is designed so that teachers, students, and the general public can share in the excitement of daily at-sea discoveries and the science.
After four years of work, scientists embarked on the fifth and final cruise to the Gulf of Mexico as part of the Lophelia II project. Read the Mission Plan.

The Lophelia II 2012: Deepwater Platform Corals expedition is the final cruise in a four-year research mission to explore and study deepwater or “cold-water” coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico. This cruise is the first dedicated scientific study of deep-sea corals on actively producing oil and gas platforms. Read more...

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