Join us for another expedition of the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. The Okeanos departed Pearl Harbor, HI this morning and began her transit to California for the winter inport. Once outside of Pearl Harbor, the EM302 multibeam sonar was turned on and data acquisition commenced. Science operations started soon after with deployment of the Continuous Plankton Recorder for its first calibration tow, and the first Manta Net deployment in the evening. Learn why systematic exploration aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is an evolving operational model referred to as a “sticks and boxes” approach. The variety of data being collected onboard the Okeanos during this cruise from Hawaii to California represents a step forward in the exploration that can be conducted with the at-sea time allotted to the ship. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/welcome.html http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/media/expatch_100b.jpg http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/welcome.html Read short daily summaries of the ship's activities, written by the EX1006 Expedition Coordinator. Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:00:00 GMT http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/logs/dailyupdates/dailyupdates.html (October) Join the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as it departs Pearl Harbor, HI and begins her transit to California for winter inport. Scientist plan to maximizing operations by exploring the “sticks” in systematic exploration along the way. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 22:00:00 GMT http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/welcome.html While the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer makes its way from Hawaii, mapping the deep ocean, it will have a shadow. A small, towed vehicle called a Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) will always be about 70m behind the ship and just 10m below the waves – for more than 2000 nm. Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:01:00 GMT http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/background/cpr/cpr.html The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer will be passing through the Pacific Ocean “Garbage Patch,” an area in the North Pacific Ocean containing high marine debris concentration. Most of the debris is thought to be small plastic pieces, not always visible to the naked eye. Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:00:00 GMT http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1006/background/mantanet/mantanet.html