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The image depicts a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) illuminating a section of the ocean floor. The ROV’s bright lights cast a blue glow on the textured seabed, highlighting its rough surface. The surrounding water is a deep blue, fading into darker shades as it extends away from the light source, creating a sense of depth.

2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration

Dive 02: North Tutuila Flank

August 28, 2026

Location: Lat: -14.196272035678511°; Long: -170.80548278592892°
Dive Depth Range: 2,239-2,315 meters (1.39-1.44 miles)
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Dive 02 took place on a mound on the northern flank of Tutuila Island, starting at a depth of approximately 2,300 meters (1.4 miles) and moving upslope over sediment and volcanic rock outcrops. Large pillow lavas were seen with smaller volcanic rock rubble dispersed throughout the dive path. We observed a variety of marine life, including corals, sponges, fish, anemones, polychaete worms, crinoids, sea cucumbers, and more. We collected five biological samples, three rock samples, two push core sediment samples, and five water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis.

A translucent shrimp rests on a white coral stalk with extended polyps in a dark green underwater environment.

A tiny opossum shrimp in the order Mysida hangs off the polyp of a bamboo coral. Observed during the second dive of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 538 KB).

Eight mission team members in hard hats pose with sampling buckets on the deck of a research vessel.

The mission team gathers with their buckets at the ready, waiting for remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer to return to the surface after completing Dive 02 of the American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition so that they can collect the geological and biological samples from the dive to begin processing them. From left to right: Kasey Cantwell, Anna Lienesch, Maggy Hanley, Nikki Morgan, Val Brown, Trey Gillespie, Jenn Green, and Katlin Bowman Adamczyk. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 736 KB).

A sea urchin with long, white-tipped purple spines rests on a sandy seabed between two dark rocks.

This unique urchin was seen during Dive 02 of the American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition, while exploring a mound on the northern flank of Tutuila Island. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 743 KB).

A robotic arm holds a dark, rough rock over a sandy seabed scattered with similar rocks.

The manipulator arm of remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer is used to collect a volcanic rock sample during Dive 02 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition. This was one of three rock samples collected during the dive. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 491 KB).

A pale pink sea anemone with extended tentacles is attached to a dark rock on a sandy seabed.

This large anemone was observed attached to a volcanic rock outcrop during the second dive of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 686 KB).

A tethered remotely operated vehicle uses bright lights to illuminate a dark, rocky ocean floor.

Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer traverses the seafloor of the mound explored during Dive 02 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition. Throughout the dive, the seafloor substrate was sedimented with volcanic rock outcrops. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 409 KB).