Scientists discover nearly 100,000 submerged mountains: “There are better maps of the lunar surface than of the Earth’s ocean floor”
Researchers using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) have mapped the geology of the Mona Rift and made some astonishing discoveries.
Scientists working on a NASA project have used cutting-edge technology to help uncover the secrets of... the ocean.
The US space agency has funded the project exploring the ocean floor using date from its Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite. Producing accurate maps of the ocean floor is critical to ensuring safety at sea, with better understanding of navigation and deep-sea current and tides.
In the past ships with sonar equipment were used to make extremely detailed studies of the ocean floor but the process is time-consuming and, to date, only 25% of the ocean floor has been mapped in this way. NASA’s method is much faster.
What have scientists discovered?
The SWOT project is a actually collaboration between NASA and CNES, the French space agency. The earth’s rotations allow the satellite to cover around 90% of the planet every 21 days, with repeated observations used to build up an accurate picture of the topography.
David Sandwell, a geophysicist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, is leading a side project to use a year’s worth of SWOT data to better understand the layout of seamounts, abyssal hills, and underwater continental margins along the ocean floor.
So far the SWOT satellite has increased the number of known seamounts from 44,000 to 100,000 by identifying the changes in currents that they produce. These structures play a key role in marine life because they help to concentrate nutrients along their vast slops and create oases of life on otherwise barren stretches of the ocean floor.
Sandwell been using similar data to chart the underwater world since the 1990s and is a big proponent of the technology: “The SWOT satellite was a huge jump in our ability to map the seafloor‚" adding that it’s a key part of a global effort to map the entire seafloor by 2030.
“We won’t get the full ship-based mapping done by then,” said Sandwell. “But SWOT will help us fill it in, getting us close to achieving the 2030 objective.”
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment
Your opinion will be published with first and last names