(July) Join our scientists as they explore the North American Florida Middle Grounds for traces of early human occupation on a submerged late Pleistocene landscape. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/welcome.html http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/include/images/ocean_explorer_podcast_100.jpg http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/welcome.html ___________________________________________________________________________ The total amount of data generated during our 2009 field season is both inspiring and daunting. We remotely surveyed 16 research sub areas and were able to directly scuba dive 16 locations in 11 of those area’s. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/summary/summary.html ___________________________________________________________________________ Scientists conducted a remote sensing survey of Ray Hole Springs, in order to obtain good sidescan and sub-bottom imagery of possible archaeological sites. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul28/jul28.html ___________________________________________________________________________ Ben Wells shares a brief comparison of the techniques and of a terrestrial field project in contrast with the adventurous practices of underwater archeology. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul27/jul27.html ___________________________________________________________________________ One of the most challenging and exciting tasks is adapting our traditional archaeological methods for an underwater context. Luckily for archaeologists, underwater survey technology is extremely advanced. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul26/jul26.html ___________________________________________________________________________ Diving to the seabed "ground truths" the information our remote sensing is giving us, and allows us to gain a much fuller understanding of both the modern and ancient Gulf of Mexico. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul25/jul25.html ___________________________________________________________________________ Many people are surprised to know that sea levels rose almost 300 feet from about 18,000 years ago to 7,000 years ago! Explore this ancient shoreline with Cliff Brown. Watch a summary of the purpose of this exploration presented by C. Andrew Hemmings and Dr. J. M. Adovasio. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul24/jul24.html ____________________________________________________________________________ Justin Halteman describes the crew's first day on the ocean, complete with perfect calm waters and skipping fish. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/logs/jul23/jul23.html ____________________________________________________________________________ Roughly 26,000 years ago, the glaciers of the Northern Hemisphere were at their maximum size before beginning to melt, a point that scientists call the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/background/climatechange/climatechange.html ____________________________________________________________________________ On October 11, 1492, the soon to be styled Admiral of the Ocean Seas, Cristoforo Colon (a.k.a. Columbus), landed on San Salvador (or Samana Cay) and almost immediately encountered its aboriginal inhabitants, the soon to be extirpated Taino. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/background/beliefs/beliefs.html ____________________________________________________________________________ Ocean Explorer Expedition Education Modules (EEM) are designed to reach out in new ways to teachers, students, and the general public, and share the excitement of daily at-sea discoveries and the science behind NOAA’s major ocean exploration initiatives with the people around the world. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/background/edu/edu.html ____________________________________________________________________________ The accidental recovery of Ice Age animal bones (and, occasionally, artifacts of human manufacture) on the inundated continental margins of North America have underscored the long-established fact that in times past these submerged landscapes were dry land. Because these inundated landscapes were once very extensive, especially around the Gulf of Mexico and much of the eastern seaboard of the United States, scholars suspected that systematic exploration of these submerged settings could yield evidence of a very early human coastal presence. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/background/plan/plan.html ____________________________________________________________________________ View photos and and short bios of the explorers participating on the Exploring the Submerged New World 2009 Expedition. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09newworld/background/explorers/explorers.html ____________________________________________________________________________