NOAA Undersea Research Program

NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP), within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), is a unique national service that provides undersea scientists with tools and expertise that they need to work in the undersea environment. Undersea research results in a greater understanding of the world's oceans, which make up more than 99% of the living volume of our planet. In spite of their prevalence, the oceans are still a frontier area. The Mid-Ocean Ridge, a mountain range spanning the ocean basins, was recognized only in the 1960s. Vents and seeps surrounded by life that exists without sunlight discovered in the 1980s revolutionized modern scientific theory about the origin and sustenance of life on Earth. NURP-funded scientists are a part of this advance on the frontier. Our research programs cover many undersea environments from the shoreline to the deep sea, capturing nearly all the scientific disciplines. Our recent scientific studies show the significance of gathering information from the ocean, and the delight and dedication associated with ocean research and discovery. Our reward comes from overcoming the obstacles of the sea and helping humans understand and live on the "water planet."