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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Oceanographic data collected during the Titanic Expedition 2004 (titanic2004) on NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in North Atlantic Ocean from 2004-05-27 to 2004-06-12 (NCEI Accession 0072311)

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Nearly 20 years after first finding the sunken remains of the RMS Titanic, marine explorer Robert Ballard returned in June 2004 to help the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study the ship's rapid deterioration.

A professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and director of its Institute for Archaeological Oceanography, Dr. Ballard and his team of scientists from NOAA and other institutions spent 11 days at the site, mapping the ship and conducting scientific analyses of its deterioration. The team worked aboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown from May 30 through June 9, and used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to conduct a sophisticated documentation of the state of Titanic that was not possible in the 1980s. This "Look, don't touch" mission utilized high-definition video and stereoscopic still images to provide an updated assessment of the wreck site.

The science team included Dr. Dwight Coleman of URI and the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration (MAIFE), who was the expedition's research chief. As the marine archaeologist with NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration, I oversaw the expedition's marine archaeology component. In addition to mapping the Titanic, expedition goals included the microbial research of scientist Roy Cullimore, who studied the natural deterioration of the ship's hull. Tiny microbes that feed on iron and create icicle-shaped formations called rusticles are responsible for this deterioration. While rusticles have been observed for many years, little is known about them.

As the nation's ocean agency, NOAA has a vested interest in the scientific and cultural aspects of the Titanic, and in its appropriate treatment and preservation. NOAA's focus is to build a baseline of scientific information from which we can measure the shipwreck's processes and deterioration, and then apply the knowledge we gain to other deep-water shipwrecks and submerged cultural resources.

The Guidelines for Research, Exploration and Salvage of RMS Titanic (9 pages, 104k) were issued under the authority of the RMS Titanic Maritime Act of 1986.

On Monday, June 7, 2004, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the National Geographic Channel gave audiences unprecedented access to the ongoing expedition by broadcasting a one-hour special, "Return to Titanic External Link," which originated from NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown and included a live underwater telecast from the Titanic.

Simultaneous with the expedition, MAIFE enabled thousands of children to experience the Titanic mission as it occurred. From June 4 through 9, four shows a day were transmitted live from the expedition via satellite and Internet2 to participating sites. The JASON Foundation for Education has created a new middle-school math curriculum called "JASON Math Adventure: Geometry and Return to Titanic," which follows the work of researchers on the expedition. Students will learn how geometry concepts are used to position NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown at the Titanic wreck and the ROV Hercules on the Titanic's bow.

Technology partners on the expedition included EDS of Texas, which wired the mission, and VBrick Systems of Connecticut, which enabled the mission feed to be broadcast nationwide.
  • Cite as: NOAA Ocean Exploration (2011). Oceanographic data collected during the Titanic Expedition 2004 (titanic2004) on NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in North Atlantic Ocean from 2004-05-27 to 2004-06-12 (NCEI Accession 0072311). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0072311. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0072311
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Distribution Formats
  • Originator data format
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2004-05-27 to 2004-06-12
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -51.14346667
East: -49.25326784
South: 41.22936552
North: 41.73658333
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2011-04-27
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Supplemental Information
The NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research sponsored the collection of these data.

Expedition produced the following data: Cruise Plan Documents, Video Logs, PowerPoint Presentation Documents, Dive Summaries, News Articles, 13 Highlight Images, 87 Highlight Videos, 9101 Submersible Digital Stills, Multibeam Data, NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown Navigation Data, Argus and Hercules Submersible Navigation Data (Dives 1-6) and Submersible Sensor Raw Data (Dives 1-6).

Other NOAA offices hold the data that NODC has not archived under this Accession.
Purpose This dataset is available to the public for a wide variety of uses including scientific research and analysis.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: NOAA Ocean Exploration (2011). Oceanographic data collected during the Titanic Expedition 2004 (titanic2004) on NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in North Atlantic Ocean from 2004-05-27 to 2004-06-12 (NCEI Accession 0072311). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0072311. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Originator Keywords
  • Ocean Exploration
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords Originator Place Names
  • North Atlantic Ocean
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: NOAA Ocean Exploration (2011). Oceanographic data collected during the Titanic Expedition 2004 (titanic2004) on NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in North Atlantic Ocean from 2004-05-27 to 2004-06-12 (NCEI Accession 0072311). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0072311. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2011-04-27T14:41:48Z - NCEI Accession 0072311 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • conductivity sensor
  • CTD
  • GPS
  • pressure gauge
  • salinometer
  • sound velocimeter
Platform
  • NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
Last Modified: 2023-01-05T23:42:59Z
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