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We are boldly exploring our unknown Ocean to excite interest and inform the wise stewardship of our planet.

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The Doldrums Fracture Zone
Our planet’s longest mountain range is located in the center of the Atlantic Ocean: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This submarine volcanic mountain chain stretches for more than 16,000 kilometers, shaping Earth’s geology where tectonic plates drift apart. As the plates separate, mantle material rises, partially melts, and generates magma that forms new oceanic crust. The movement of plates forms wrinkles and lines along the planet’s surface, known as fault zones, which tell the story of Earth’s tectonic history. These fault zones circulate water into the seafloor and through the crust, later releasing it with new chemical compositions— some of which feed deep-sea bacteria that fuel thriving ecosystems in the deepest, darkest parts of the Ocean. While chemosynthetic ecosystems are well documented along the ridge, little is known about what lives on the fault zones. The Doldrums Megatransform System is one of these fault zones formed where offset ridge segments are linked by transform faults as the Atlantic seafloor spreads apart. Here, tectonic plates scrape and slide past one another, creating fascinating geologic formations like fault scarps and sedimented basins, both of which can host areas of chemically altered seawater and deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Aaron Micallef of MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) and the international team will travel to the Doldrums Fracture Zone to map and identify interesting geological features, and then use ROV SuBastian to visualize them. Key to their work will be The Childlike Empress AUV, which will both create high-resolution maps of the seafloor and use its sensors to sniff out interesting chemicals that indicate venting. This expedition marks the first time Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new AUV will be used for scientific research.
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In the coming years, our expeditions will explore understudied regions around all seven continents in our global Ocean.

Latest Expedition

See all

The Doldrums Fracture Zone
Our planet’s longest mountain range is located in the center of the Atlantic Ocean: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This submarine volcanic mountain chain stretches for more than 16,000 kilometers, shaping Earth’s geology where tectonic plates drift apart. As the plates separate, mantle material rises, partially melts, and generates magma that forms new oceanic crust. The movement of plates forms wrinkles and lines along the planet’s surface, known as fault zones, which tell the story of Earth’s tectonic history. These fault zones circulate water into the seafloor and through the crust, later releasing it with new chemical compositions— some of which feed deep-sea bacteria that fuel thriving ecosystems in the deepest, darkest parts of the Ocean. While chemosynthetic ecosystems are well documented along the ridge, little is known about what lives on the fault zones. The Doldrums Megatransform System is one of these fault zones formed where offset ridge segments are linked by transform faults as the Atlantic seafloor spreads apart. Here, tectonic plates scrape and slide past one another, creating fascinating geologic formations like fault scarps and sedimented basins, both of which can host areas of chemically altered seawater and deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Aaron Micallef of MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) and the international team will travel to the Doldrums Fracture Zone to map and identify interesting geological features, and then use ROV SuBastian to visualize them. Key to their work will be The Childlike Empress AUV, which will both create high-resolution maps of the seafloor and use its sensors to sniff out interesting chemicals that indicate venting. This expedition marks the first time Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new AUV will be used for scientific research.
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From grants for caregivers to an artist-at-sea residency, our programs strive to deepen knowledge and inspire a connection with our planet’s life support system.

Latest Expedition

See all

The Doldrums Fracture Zone
Our planet’s longest mountain range is located in the center of the Atlantic Ocean: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This submarine volcanic mountain chain stretches for more than 16,000 kilometers, shaping Earth’s geology where tectonic plates drift apart. As the plates separate, mantle material rises, partially melts, and generates magma that forms new oceanic crust. The movement of plates forms wrinkles and lines along the planet’s surface, known as fault zones, which tell the story of Earth’s tectonic history. These fault zones circulate water into the seafloor and through the crust, later releasing it with new chemical compositions— some of which feed deep-sea bacteria that fuel thriving ecosystems in the deepest, darkest parts of the Ocean. While chemosynthetic ecosystems are well documented along the ridge, little is known about what lives on the fault zones. The Doldrums Megatransform System is one of these fault zones formed where offset ridge segments are linked by transform faults as the Atlantic seafloor spreads apart. Here, tectonic plates scrape and slide past one another, creating fascinating geologic formations like fault scarps and sedimented basins, both of which can host areas of chemically altered seawater and deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Aaron Micallef of MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) and the international team will travel to the Doldrums Fracture Zone to map and identify interesting geological features, and then use ROV SuBastian to visualize them. Key to their work will be The Childlike Empress AUV, which will both create high-resolution maps of the seafloor and use its sensors to sniff out interesting chemicals that indicate venting. This expedition marks the first time Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new AUV will be used for scientific research.
Read More

Experience the wonder of our global Ocean via immersive galleries of art, scientific discoveries, and film.

Latest Expedition

See all

The Doldrums Fracture Zone
Our planet’s longest mountain range is located in the center of the Atlantic Ocean: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This submarine volcanic mountain chain stretches for more than 16,000 kilometers, shaping Earth’s geology where tectonic plates drift apart. As the plates separate, mantle material rises, partially melts, and generates magma that forms new oceanic crust. The movement of plates forms wrinkles and lines along the planet’s surface, known as fault zones, which tell the story of Earth’s tectonic history. These fault zones circulate water into the seafloor and through the crust, later releasing it with new chemical compositions— some of which feed deep-sea bacteria that fuel thriving ecosystems in the deepest, darkest parts of the Ocean. While chemosynthetic ecosystems are well documented along the ridge, little is known about what lives on the fault zones. The Doldrums Megatransform System is one of these fault zones formed where offset ridge segments are linked by transform faults as the Atlantic seafloor spreads apart. Here, tectonic plates scrape and slide past one another, creating fascinating geologic formations like fault scarps and sedimented basins, both of which can host areas of chemically altered seawater and deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Aaron Micallef of MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) and the international team will travel to the Doldrums Fracture Zone to map and identify interesting geological features, and then use ROV SuBastian to visualize them. Key to their work will be The Childlike Empress AUV, which will both create high-resolution maps of the seafloor and use its sensors to sniff out interesting chemicals that indicate venting. This expedition marks the first time Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new AUV will be used for scientific research.
Read More

A Year of Falkor in the Great Barrier Reef & Coral Sea

The R/V Falkor has finally left Queensland waters after a full year working within the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea marine parks

The Falkor has sailed some 70 thousand-line km while in Queensland, or the equivalent of driving across Australia between Sydney and Perth about 18 times (or, if in the USA, driving between Los Angeles and New York nearly 16 times). The ship has been at sea 230 days over the past year. For a while, it was one of the few research vessels anywhere in the world to continue operations at sea

It is hard to put into words the importance of the ROV SuBastian dives in contributing to the overall knowledge of the marine life and geology in the deep GBR and Coral Sea. Before the Falkor, we knew very little about the marine life existing beyond scuba diving or shallow ROV dive limits. With the 42 ROV SuBastian dives conducted—the deepest to over 2000 m—there is a step change in our understanding of deep marine life on the seafloor and in the water column.

SuBastian became our eyes, ears, and hands to search the darkness for samples of deep-water corals and sponges recovered under permit to be processed by a team of biologists from the Queensland Museum

With the ROV, sampling of the softer sediments and rocks reached another level beyond the previous bucket-on-a-string or blind cores taken before the Falkor. On most dives, sediment cores were taken at the start and end of systematic transects across wide depth ranges to characterise and ground truth the seafloor. Exposed limestone rock outcrops were chipped, drilled, or cracked to capture precious samples, much as a geologist would do on land with a geology pick. These ancient rock samples will provide insight into the origins of the Great Barrier Reef and offshore coral atolls.

However, beyond the science done and raw statistics of this enormous effort, the Falkor’s year in Queensland has brought together a large group of people and built relationships and experiences that I hope will endure for many years. Across the eight voyages, 75 virtual and onboard investigators were involved. Twenty-six graduate and postgraduate students experienced life at sea on a world-class research vessel through a difficult period when such opportunities were rare.

We shared with Falkor’s crew the occasionally rough seas and strong winds and the calm of a sunburnt and magically still ocean. We shared in the wonder of turquoise shallow coral reefs, some of the largest in the world, gliding close by as we mapped the edges. We shared birthdays, video nights, karaoke, trivia competitions, and card games. We shared great food and barbeques on the upper deck or quiet, reflective moments together over a cold drink. It is hard to believe it’s finally over.

To Falkor and your magnificent crew—we wish you a very fond farewell.