Courtesy Photo by B. Hillstrom A. Yoxsimer and M. Weber surveying off Tutuila, American Samoa.

ALPENA — A free lecture called Tales of Mapping the South Pacific will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena, presented by Andrea Yoxsimer, resource protection specialist at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

As of June 2024, only 26.1% of the world’s oceans have been mapped using high-resolution technologies, such as multibeam sonar systems. To address this gap, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) is actively contributing to the expansion of oceanic mapping by conducting sonar operations across the U.S. During the 2023 field season, NOAA Ship Rainier undertook a mission to the Pacific Remote Island Area (PRIA) and American Samoa, where it conducted comprehensive mapping operations around both inhabited and uninhabited islands. Yoxsimer was part of that team.

This lecture will provide an in-depth examination of the principles and functionality of multibeam sonar, explore the successes and challenges associated with conducting sonar operations in remote regions, and o