Flower Garden

From March 3–9, 2007, renowned ocean explorer, Dr. Robert Ballard and an interdisciplinary team of scientists explored the fascinating undersea landscape of NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). One of the 13 U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries, the FGBNMS is located approximately 115 miles off the Texas/Louisiana coast. Named for its colorful corals and sponges, the sanctuary was targeted for exploration because of its unique geology and biology. Its geological history also made it a viable location to search for evidence of early human habitation that could predate current evidence of North America’s first inhabitants.
This expedition represented a unique collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Institute for Exploration (IFE), Immersion Presents, the University of Rhode Island and the U.S. Navy. During a week-long expedition, a team of geologists, biologists and marine archaeologists used two ships, a nuclear-powered research submarine, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and scuba divers to explore coral reefs, brine seeps, mud volcanoes and ancient shorelines. 
Prior to the expedition Dr. Ballard decribed the importance of exploring FGBNMS and what discoveries could reveal, “This will be an important and exciting expedition [of]... an area that we hope will reveal details about human habitation on ancient shorelines thousands of years ago when sea level was much lower due to the ice age,” said Ballard, professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and president of the Institute for Exploration at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration.
“We have been working with the Institute for Exploration and the Navy in this effort since 1998 in the Northeast,” said Dr. Kevin McBride, director of research at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center (MPMRC). “This expedition will enhance our understanding of the patterns of ancient Native settlements in coastal regions of the Americas.”  Data and artifacts collected during the expedition will be analyzed in the MPMRC's archaeology labs.
Researchers also explored the physical connections that provide protective cover for animals traveling between individual geologic features. "This is a rare opportunity to explore the system of 'hidden highways' that connects the Flower Garden Banks ecosystem with other reefs and banks in the area," stated George Schmahl, superintendent of the FGBNMS.  
 "We are fortunate to be able to explore these areas using state of the art scientific equipment, and to share these experiences with people in real time," Schmahl added.
Deep-water exploration of the FGBNMS will be made possible by the U.S. Navy’s NR-1—the nation’s only nuclear-powered submarine dedicated to underwater research. Supported by the 238-foot SSV Carolyn Chouest, the NR-1 carries video cameras, sample-collection equipment and tools to map the sea floor.
A high-definition camera and sensors on IFE’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Argus—a sled-like device that will be towed behind the Carolyn Chouest—will provide researchers with additional images and information about the sanctuary’s habitats and marine life.
The expedition team will employ state-of-the-art “telepresence” technology to enable students, educators, scientists and the general public back on shore to follow the Secrets of the Gulf expedition 24/7 in real-time. Principal Investigators Ballard and McBride will use this same telepresence technology to lead the expedition from a remote science console based at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration.
Ballard also hosts a series of live broadcasts produced by Immersion Presents and distributed via satellite, Internet2 and the commodity Internet. The broadcasts, which are part of a larger interdisciplinary science curriculum entitled Secrets of the Gulf, took place March 4–9, 2007. Immersion Presents is partnering with a network of 30 Immersion Sites and 51 Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation to implement the Secrets of the Gulf program with upper elementary and middle school students. Tune into www.immersionpresents.org to watch past broadcasts and review the expedition online. The broadcasts can also be viewed at www.oceanslive.org.
Additional expedition partners and sponsors include the NOAA Office of Education, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Devon Energy Corporation, Dominion, the Dr. Scholl Foundation, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, the  Minerals Management Service, The Public Archaeology Laboratory, the University of Connecticut, the University of Rhode Island, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the U.S. Department of Energy.