Help to clearify the sentence.
"With questions such as these clearly before them, the scientists aboard Tom proceeded to the Mediterranean to search for the answers."

I can't understand what is the meaning of 'clearly before them' and 'aboard' here. Does 'aboard ' used as a verb, or not?

Question

Help to clearify the sentence.
"With questions such as these clearly before them, the scientists aboard Tom proceeded to the Mediterranean to search for the answers."

I can't understand what is the meaning of 'clearly before them' and 'aboard' here. Does  'aboard ' used as a verb, or not?

Answer

The sentence doesn't make sense.  This would work "...and the scientists aboard, ..."

"Aboard" means on a ship, train or plane.

If the questions are "clearly before them", they are clear questions which they should deal with.

Answer

"Clearly before them" means that the questions were standing before their eyes clearly. They knew what they wanted to find out.
Aboard is used to describe being on a boat or a space craft.It is not a verb.