Located in the South-Central Pacific, the Cook Islands is comprised of 15 islands surrounded by more than 770,000 square miles of ocean, the vast majority of which remain unmapped and unexplored.
During the expedition, mapping, telepresence and remotely operated vehicle systems on E/V Nautilus will allow the collection of high-resolution visual observations of the seafloor, as well as environmental data and physical samples, to support studies on the biological and geological context of abyssal plain habitats and the Manihiki Plateau. All data collected during the expedition will be made publicly available, helping support ongoing local management and future decision-making by Cook Islanders.
Learn more at https://NautilusLive.org.
Image Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust
