It has been noted by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and others that Palmyra Atoll is an area of importance to many oceanographers. Scripps has described Palmyra as a refuge for diverse populations of marine life and one of the few places that has managed to escape some of the more obvious consequences of development. It is a potentially unspoiled natural environment, for the establishment of a base for a broad array of oceanographic projects, including:

Research on climate change

Oceanic and atmospheric chemistry, and

Biomedical potential of marine natural products.