All articles tagged with #seafloor mapping
NASA's SWOT satellite has produced one of the most detailed global maps of Earth's seafloor by measuring tiny variations in sea surface height caused by underwater features, significantly improving resolution over previous methods and revealing new insights into seafloor structures, plate movements, and ocean geology.
Scientists have mapped 332 Antarctic seafloor canyons, revealing their potential impact on ocean circulation, ice-shelf thinning, and climate change, emphasizing the need for high-resolution data to improve climate models and predictions.
NASA's SWOT program has produced the most detailed map of the ocean floor to date, revealing hundreds of previously hidden underwater volcanoes and tectonic structures. This new satellite imagery allows researchers to study ocean circulation and tectonic activity with unprecedented precision, offering insights into ocean currents, nutrient transport, and Earth's geologic history. The data covers areas not yet mapped by ship-mounted instruments, marking a significant advancement in oceanographic research.
A new study suggests that large oceanic plateaus in the western Pacific Ocean are not rigid slabs but weak spots being torn apart by distant forces at the plate's edge, challenging previous understanding of tectonic plate dynamics. The research indicates that these plateaus are being stretched and thinned by pull forces at the Pacific plate's edge, even though they are located hundreds to thousands of kilometers from the nearest plate boundary. The findings highlight the need for further exploration and data collection to better understand the complexities of the seafloor and tectonic plate behavior.
Scientists mapping the seafloor off the coast of Guatemala have discovered an enormous underwater mountain, twice the height of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The seamount, found using advanced technology on the Falkor research vessel, sits 7,874ft below sea level and covers 5.4 square miles. Seamounts are known to be biodiversity hotspots, and this discovery highlights the vast unknowns of our oceans. The Schmidt Ocean Institute, part of the Seabed 2030 initiative, aims to map the entire seafloor by the end of the decade to aid navigation and marine resource management.
Ocean explorers mapping the seabed off the coast of Guatemala have discovered a seamount twice the height of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The cone-shaped seamount, located 7,870 feet below sea level, covers 5.4 square miles and provides crucial rocky habitats for deep-sea corals and invertebrates. The discovery highlights the vast amount of unexplored seamounts in the ocean, with satellite data suggesting there are over 100,000 yet to be discovered. The finding is part of ongoing efforts to map the seafloor and understand the mysteries of the ocean.
A seafloor mapping project in the Pacific Ocean has discovered a massive seamount, twice as high as the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The 5,249-foot-high seamount covers 5.4 square miles and is located 1.5 miles below sea level in international waters. Seamounts are underwater mountains that serve as "oases of life," hosting deep sea corals, sponges, and various invertebrates. This discovery highlights the vast unexplored areas of the ocean and the potential for further scientific exploration.
Researchers have created the clearest-ever maps of the Monterey Canyon, a massive deep-sea ravine off the coast of California. The maps, with centimeter-scale resolution, reveal the constantly changing topography of the underwater valley. The surveys conducted between 2015 and 2017 captured the canyon's seafloor in remarkable detail, providing valuable insights into the processes that shape it. The data showed that fast-moving turbidity currents and tides play a role in sculpting the seafloor, with their effects varying across the canyon. The high-resolution maps could also aid in studying deep-sea ecosystems and threatened species.
Researchers have created the clearest-ever maps of the Monterey Canyon, a massive deep-sea ravine off the coast of California. The maps, with centimeter-scale resolution, reveal the constantly changing topography of the underwater valley, which is comparable to the Grand Canyon. The surveys conducted between 2015 and 2017 captured the canyon's seafloor in remarkable detail, providing valuable insights into the processes that shape it. The data showed the effects of fast-moving turbidity currents and the role of tides in sculpting the seafloor. The researchers believe their new equipment could also be used to study deep-sea ecosystems.