Science AMA Series: We are ocean scientists on an expedition in the Caribbean aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. We're using high-tech tools to map coral reefs and find fish 'hotspots' in areas of the ocean where little is known ... AUA!

We are oceanographer Tim Battista and ecologist Chris Taylor. We are NOAA scientists currently leading a research expedition in the U.S. Virgin Islands aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. This is the 12th year that we've come to the Caribbean to systematically map a sprawling coral reef ecosystem that is home to an amazing variety of ocean life.

Our team is using multi beam sonar, scientific echosounder (fishfinder), underwater gliders, a remotely operated vehicle, and other high-tech tools to locate previously-unknown seafloor habitats; to map out coral reefs in fine detail; and to find 'hotspots' where many species of fish gather to spawn in rhythm with the lunar cycle. The data we gather helps people better understand and manage this critically important region of the ocean.

Here is a picture of us off the coast of St. Croix: http://1.usa.gov/1NwbvVP

We'll be here from 1:00 pm ET through 3:00 pm ET today answering your questions about our research as well as what it’s like to work on a NOAA ship … AUA!

(We are out at sea, and our internet is by satelite, so there maybe intermittent outages.)

submitted by NOAAgov to science

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