expedition map

Lying just north of the equator, the Celebes Sea is the center of the most biologically diverse area of the world’s ocean. Our expedition will begin in the Port of Manila (top center) and take us south through the Sulu Sea to our study site, southeast of the Sulu Archipelago, where the bottom falls off abruptly to the sea floor thousands of meters below. In comparison to the size of the Celebes Sea (the 500 kilometer scale bar on the map would easily lie inside the basin), our study area is relatively small, but we hope that our discoveries will stimulate more extensive exploration and research in these fascinating ecosystems. Image courtesy of Kerry Lagueux, New England Aquarium.

Related Links

2007: Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea 2007

2007: Exploring the Inner Space of the Celebes Sea: Mission Plan

NOAA Ocean Explorer Gallery

Download high resolution image (jpg, 1.7 Mb)