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NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration & Research

Exploration advances the breadth of knowledge and Research advances the depth of knowledge. In 2011, NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research is celebrating 10 years of Ocean Exploration and more than 30 years of Undersea Research.

Some of the stunning imagery collected by the Little Hercules ROV during its dives from July 2010.

Vision

"A society that understands the importance of a healthy ocean to all life on Earth and is informed and inspired by discoveries that reveal the wonders, mysteries, and workings of the ocean."

The ROV Little Hercules decends through water column while exploring the Kawio Barat volcano during the INDEX-SATAL 2010 expedition.

Mission

Develop and use state-of-the-art technology to increase our scientific knowledge of the Earth's largely unknown ocean, in all its dimensions, to support NOAA and national objectives.

Digital Atlas

Click the image to launch the OE Expedition Digital Atlas based on Google Map technology.

Travel Around the World and Under the Seas with Ocean Explorer Web Coordinators

December 6, 2011: Read about the role of web coordinator on OER Signature missions and how they help bring the excitement of exploration to the public's attention.

NOAA Names Tim Arcano as New Director for Ocean Exploration and Research

October 25, 2011: Tim Arcano, an ocean engineer with extensive experience in naval submarine and submersible design and engineering, was selected as director of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). Arcano is slated to begin November 7.