denise
08-12-2008, 05:11 PM
Ocean exploration is the investigation of physical, chemical and biological aspects of the ocean, for scientific or commercial purposes. This is not a recent activity, for thousands of years, humans have sought to uncover the secrets of the ocean, but our knowledge has increased exponentially over the last few decades. Despite such advances, even still today, more people have visited the moon, than the deepest realms of the sea.
Ocean exploration began as far back as 4500 BC, when coast dwellers in Greece and China entered the ocean to catch food. Larger scale explorations came not long after (4000 BC), when the ancient Egyptians developed the first sailing vessels, and traveled throughout Eastern Mediterranean. The Vikings used ocean exploration as a method of colonizing far off lands such as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
Scientific interest in the ocean began during the last century. The development of modern SCUBA by Jacques Cousteau in 1943, allowed scientists to stay underwater for longer periods of time. However, due to gas and depth limitations, shallow water explorations were only possible on scuba. Deep-sea explorations advanced dramatically with a series of inventions, ranging from sonar to manned deep-diving submersibles such as Alvin. Prototype submarines were invented (and tested) with eager scientists. In 1934, the first ocean deep dive allowed scientists a glimpse at the world of bizarre, bioluminesent creatures, more than half a mile down!
Where the ocean ended, and what was down there still fascinated scientists, and the quest for depth continued. In 1951 the deepest known point of the ocean was located. This area, 7 miles down, was called the Challenger Deep, and is located in the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean. If Mt Everest was on the ocean floor in the Marianas Trench, its peak would still lie about a mile below the ocean surface!
In 1977, scientists in the deep sea submersible, Alvin, discovered and documented amazing oases of life in the Pacific Ocean called hydrothermal vents. These are deep volcanic springs, where super hot (650F), mineral laden water pours out from underneath the ocean floor's surface. When this hot water meets the surrounding cold seawater (35F) it cools quickly, and the minerals in the fluid settle around the vent opening creating “black smokers”. Bacteria use this enriched water to make food, through chemosynthesis, a process that forms the beginning of a complex food web, and supports a variety of endemic animals. The discovery of hydrothermal vents was a turning point for the scientific community as this was the only ecosystem ever known that rely's solely on the Earths internal energy, and not the Suns energy to sustain itself.
In 1995, satellites were first used successfully to conduct worldwide mapping of the sea floor from space. The images obtained were a lot more accurate than previous images from depth and sonar readings.
Current ocean exploration efforts are concentrated in the deep sea, with the use of deep-sea submersibles such as Alvin. Alvin is operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, and regularly dives to depths of more than 6,000 feet. This 3 person submersible has done more than 3,000 deep dives since it first came into operation in 1964. It is used for a variety of scientific explorations, from researching hydrothermal vents, to locating the wreck of HMS Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.
The recent discovery (2007) of the colossal squid in New Zealand (weighing almost 1,000 pounds, and measuring more than 30 feet), shows that we much more secrets to discover in this watery realm. As scuba divers, we only catch a tiny glance of the immense beauty that the ocean has to offer us. It is up to everyone to protect the health and integrity of our oceans for future generations, as they pose an exciting challenge for coming generation of explorers and scientists.
Ocean exploration began as far back as 4500 BC, when coast dwellers in Greece and China entered the ocean to catch food. Larger scale explorations came not long after (4000 BC), when the ancient Egyptians developed the first sailing vessels, and traveled throughout Eastern Mediterranean. The Vikings used ocean exploration as a method of colonizing far off lands such as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
Scientific interest in the ocean began during the last century. The development of modern SCUBA by Jacques Cousteau in 1943, allowed scientists to stay underwater for longer periods of time. However, due to gas and depth limitations, shallow water explorations were only possible on scuba. Deep-sea explorations advanced dramatically with a series of inventions, ranging from sonar to manned deep-diving submersibles such as Alvin. Prototype submarines were invented (and tested) with eager scientists. In 1934, the first ocean deep dive allowed scientists a glimpse at the world of bizarre, bioluminesent creatures, more than half a mile down!
Where the ocean ended, and what was down there still fascinated scientists, and the quest for depth continued. In 1951 the deepest known point of the ocean was located. This area, 7 miles down, was called the Challenger Deep, and is located in the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean. If Mt Everest was on the ocean floor in the Marianas Trench, its peak would still lie about a mile below the ocean surface!
In 1977, scientists in the deep sea submersible, Alvin, discovered and documented amazing oases of life in the Pacific Ocean called hydrothermal vents. These are deep volcanic springs, where super hot (650F), mineral laden water pours out from underneath the ocean floor's surface. When this hot water meets the surrounding cold seawater (35F) it cools quickly, and the minerals in the fluid settle around the vent opening creating “black smokers”. Bacteria use this enriched water to make food, through chemosynthesis, a process that forms the beginning of a complex food web, and supports a variety of endemic animals. The discovery of hydrothermal vents was a turning point for the scientific community as this was the only ecosystem ever known that rely's solely on the Earths internal energy, and not the Suns energy to sustain itself.
In 1995, satellites were first used successfully to conduct worldwide mapping of the sea floor from space. The images obtained were a lot more accurate than previous images from depth and sonar readings.
Current ocean exploration efforts are concentrated in the deep sea, with the use of deep-sea submersibles such as Alvin. Alvin is operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, and regularly dives to depths of more than 6,000 feet. This 3 person submersible has done more than 3,000 deep dives since it first came into operation in 1964. It is used for a variety of scientific explorations, from researching hydrothermal vents, to locating the wreck of HMS Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.
The recent discovery (2007) of the colossal squid in New Zealand (weighing almost 1,000 pounds, and measuring more than 30 feet), shows that we much more secrets to discover in this watery realm. As scuba divers, we only catch a tiny glance of the immense beauty that the ocean has to offer us. It is up to everyone to protect the health and integrity of our oceans for future generations, as they pose an exciting challenge for coming generation of explorers and scientists.