Header image for expedition: Cradle of the Earthquake: Exploring the Underwater San Andreas Fault 2010

Mission Overview

Over one hundred years after the devastating Great Earthquake, our expedition explored the NSAF, the history of past earthquakes, and the intertwined relationships between large earthquakes and biologic diversity along this, the fastest moving fault in western North America. Our multidisciplinary exploration helped us to understand how tectonic history relates to biodiversity hotspots, and to be able to predict the response these biologically active areas have to future disturbances.

Learn more

Video Highlights

Waldo Wakefield

Dr. Waldo Wakefield from NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center explains how an echo-sounder is used to look for fish and other organisms in the water column.

Learn more

Raising Sails

Captain Mark Kocina and Sam Kesten work together to raise the sails on the Derek M. Baylis. Under full sail, the Baylis was able to traverse survey lines completely under wind power.

Learn more

Recovering a CTD

Oregon State University graduate students Morgan Erhardt and Bran Black deploy and recover a CTD off the back of the Derek M. Baylis. Data from the CTD is used to help calculate sound velocity in water, which is needed for multibeam data collection.

Learn more