The first SMARTEX expedition (JC241) to the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific Ocean took place in February-March 2023 sailing from Puerto Caldera in Costa Rica. The aim was to investigate the recovery and changes at a previous experimental test site by mapping the seabed habitat and assessing geochemical, biological and ecosystem changes. Biodiversity and temporal changes in fauna as well spatial dependencies in the fauna were also assessed. Moorings were deployed to measure long term seabed currents. 

You can read all about life on ship from the scientists, engineers and crew on board as well as the exciting science that took place on the JC241 cruise blog.

The second SMARTEX expedition (JC257) to the CCZ will sail from Costa Rica in February 2024 and will build on the work during the previous expedition to further assess the biodiversity, geophysics, geochemistry and oceanography of the region. Gliders will be deployed to measure deep-water mesoscale eddies and the moorings deployed during JC241 will be recovered. Multibeam bathymetry data will be used to further map the seafloor and to guide biological sampling as well as discover scientifically novel seafloor features. Biological sampling using a variety of techniques will focus on the natural geochemical drivers of biodiversity over different spatial scales to provide baseline data on biodiversity.

You can read all about life on ship from the scientists, engineers and crew on board as well as the exciting science that is taking place on the JC257 cruise blog.