- Location
- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
- Offices
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Client
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National Oceanic and
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Atmospheric Administration
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Partners
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Northrop Grumman
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- Location
- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
- Offices
- Client
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- National Oceanic and
- Atmospheric Administration
- Partners
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- Northrop Grumman
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The USS Monitor, the U.S. Navy’s first ironclad warship, sank off the coast of North Carolina in 1862. The remains of the ship weren’t located until 1973. In 1975, the site became the first national marine sanctuary in the U.S. The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary protects the shipwreck and interprets the diverse marine life that calls the area home, including sharks, sea turtles, fish, coral, and sponges.
In 2025, we partnered with scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Northrop Grumman, and SEARCH to survey the wreck off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The team used an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), equipped with micro-synthetic aperture sonar (µSAS™) mapping technology, to capture high-resolution detailed images of the site, revealing features that were previously obscured.
This mission also offered an opportunity to study marine life around the wreck. Our biologists mounted a portable environmental DNA (eDNA) probe, called a metaprobe, to the AUV, allowing it to passively collect eDNA in the 230-foot (70-metre) water column surrounding the wreck. eDNA sampling is a powerful tool for surveying marine biodiversity in offshore and water column environments, where traditional sampling is logistically difficult. It identifies genetic material shed into the water by marine species, bypassing capture of species or collection of water samples.
The aim of this study was to assess the presence of key vertebrate and invertebrate species associated with the sanctuary while avoiding the disturbance associated with physical surveys. We detected four fish species, reflecting both adult use of the surrounding habitats and movement of eggs or larvae in the area. We also identified several invertebrates to the family level: cone snail, red algae, siphonophore, and dinoflagellate.
In addition to demonstrating that AUV‑based eDNA collection is feasible, the project provides important proof of concept for monitoring biodiversity in deep, hard‑to‑access marine habitats where traditional surveys are difficult and the need to minimize disturbance to the site and species is paramount.
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- Location
- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
- Offices
-
-
Client
-
-
National Oceanic and
-
Atmospheric Administration
-
-
Partners
-
-
Northrop Grumman
-
- Location
- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
- Offices
- Client
-
- National Oceanic and
- Atmospheric Administration
- Partners
-
- Northrop Grumman