This summer, NOAA Ocean Exploration will conduct an expedition on  NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to map, explore and characterize deep waters off the coast of the Cook Islands. The effort is in partnership with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority. Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), mapping technologies and onsite sensors, the team will explore abyssal plains and the Manihiki Plateau. Operations will include imaging and sampling the seabed and water column to compare a variety of deep-ocean habitat types.  The 28-day expedition will take place in July and August 2026.…