The seafloor is topologically diverse, with undersea valleys, mountains and plains. The sea floor, where many species of fish, crabs and other life occur, was changed by the large tsunami tidal wave caused by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. Although we cannot see the seafloor directly because light and electromagnetic waves cannot penetrate far in sea water,

we are able to use sound to survey the current topography and seafloor conditions, e.g. multi beam echo sounders, side scan sonar and sub-bottom profilers.

Debris swept away by the massive tsunami has remained on the seafloor and has greatly affected the submarine ecosystems and fisheries. Piles of debris block fishing trawls, but they may provide refuges to many organisms.

We investigate where and how much debris is distributed across the seafloor and make debris maps using this information. We also investigate what types of organisms facilitate the decomposition of debris, how long decomposition of debris takes, and how much debris will be decomposed.

Deep waters off Sanriku where Broadbanded thornyheads (Sebastolobus macrochir) and Alaska pollack (Theragra chalcogramma) are living have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

We investigate the influence of the earthquake and tsunami on organisms by observing the behavior of organisms using a robot, measuring the movement of organisms with bio-logging and tracking techniques, and examining the diversity and dispersal of organisms using molecular methods.

The seafloor off Sanriku is home to a variety of fishes, such as cod. The earthquake disturbed and transported sediments across the seafloor.

We investigate how the seafloor has changed and how organisms, such as cod, have been affected. We also continuously monitor the environment of the seafloor in offshore areas to clarify the restoration process of habitats for species in this region.

Many organic pollutants have accumulated in organisms through the food chain. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), in particular, is a notorious substance that has a high toxicity to humans.

Old PCB-containing electrical appliances that had been stored in the Sanriku coastal areas were washed away by the tsunami, and may now pose a hazard in the sea. We monitor levels of PCB in seafloor sediments and edible fishes, and follow the state of pollution in the sea.

To have an overview of the state of the ocean, all information obtained through our investigations needs to be gathered together.

To visualize and convey the current state of the sea and marine organisms off Sanriku, we collect records of organisms using images and videos taken underwater, data on sounds reflected from the seafloor, and results of the chemical analysis of matter in the sea. We then make maps to visualize the organisms and their environments.

A considerable amount of information on marine organisms, their habitats and the general environment is collected from TEAMS investigations and ongoing research.

We make such information available through TEAMS website. We also inform the public of the details of future investigations and upcoming events.