Earth and Ocean Processes
PLEASE NOTE: In 2007, infrastructure associated with NEPTUNE was renamed the Regional Scale Nodes to signify integration into the National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). The name NEPTUNE is now used only for regionally focused science and education activities that will make use of the high-power and bandwidth of the regional cabled observatory but that are not directly supported by the OOI.
NEPTUNE, led by the University of Washington, is developing science and education programs associated with studies of the northeast Pacific Ocean off the Washington and Oregon coasts. New technologies--bandwidth and power extended to the seafloor--will enable unprecedented interactive access to the oceans. This last frontier on Earth will be accessible to a global community of scientists, educators, decision makers, and learners of all ages.
These new technologies and infrastructure are described on websites for the National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and the Regional Scale Nodes component of the OOI being developed at the University of Washington.
New technologies will enable new approaches to studies of Ocean and Earth process that, for example:
