Tag

Seafloor Mapping

All articles tagged with #seafloor mapping

science16 days ago•6 min saved

NASA’s SWOT Reveals Hidden Ocean Floor in Unprecedented Global Map

NASA's SWOT satellite has produced a high-resolution, global map of the seafloor by measuring subtle sea-surface height variations, revealing features like abyssal hills and tectonic structures that were previously hidden from space. This breakthrough accelerates ocean science, improves models of ocean circulation and climate, and has implications for resource management, shipping, hazard detection, and national security. The effort aims to complete a comprehensive global seafloor map by 2030, blending space-based observations with traditional ship-based mapping.

via Indian Defence Review|

#abyssal-hills #oceanography #satellite-remote-sensing

science18 days ago•3 min saved

NASA’s SWOT Satellite Maps the Ocean Floor From Space

NASA and CNES’s SWOT satellite uses gravity-driven sea-surface height data to map the seafloor, enabling detection of smaller features like seamounts and abyssal hills and potentially expanding the catalog from about 44,000 to up to 100,000. The effort aims to map the entire ocean floor by 2030, complementing ship-based sonar with near-global coverage every 21 days.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|

#nasa #oceanography #satellite

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Shifting plates and a mantle plume carved the Atlantic’s 500-km canyon

Geoscientists mapped the King’s Trough, a 500-kilometer canyon-like feature about 1,000 km off Portugal, and concluded it formed around 37–24 million years ago due to a transient plate boundary that fractured the seafloor. A hot mantle plume likely weakened the crust, aiding tectonic forces; the boundary later migrated south toward the Azores, with the finding supported by high-resolution mapping and volcanic rock analysis and suggesting parallels with the Terceira Rift.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#atlantic-ocean-canyon #kings-trough-complex #mantle-plume

science5 months ago•6 min saved

NASA unveils detailed space-based map of Earth's seafloors

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.

via Earth.com|

#gravity-mapping #nasa #oceanography

science8 months ago•2 min saved

New Antarctic Discoveries Reveal Hidden Landscapes That Could Impact Climate Predictions

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.

via The Guardian|

#antarctica #climate-change #ocean-circulation

science1 year ago•4 min saved

NASA's Satellite Breakthroughs Illuminate Earth's Seafloor

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.

via Oceanographic Magazine|

#nasa #oceanography #satellite-imagery

earth-science2 years ago•3 min saved

Pacific Ocean Tectonic Plate Ripping Apart, Scientists Discover

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.

via ScienceAlert|

#earth-science #geophysical-research #pacific-ocean

science-and-environment2 years ago•2 min saved

"Massive Underwater Mountain Surpasses Burj Khalifa in Height"

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.

via Daily Mail|

#biodiversity-hotspot #schmidt-ocean-institute #science-and-environment

science-and-environment2 years ago•3 min saved

Giant Seamount Unveiled: Towering Beneath the Ocean's Depths

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.

via Livescience.com|

#marine-habitats #ocean-exploration #science-and-environment

science-and-environment2 years ago•2 min saved

"Seafloor Mapping Team Discovers Massive Find in Pacific 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.

via Yahoo News|

#marine-biodiversity #pacific-ocean #science-and-environment

science-and-environment2 years ago•3 min saved

Unveiling the Breathtaking Deep-Sea 'Grand Canyon' off the US Coast

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.

via Livescience.com|

#deep-sea-grand-canyon #monterey-canyon #science-and-environment

science-and-environment2 years ago•3 min saved

Unveiling the Breathtaking Deep-Sea 'Grand Canyon' off the US Coast

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.

via Yahoo Life|

#deep-sea-grand-canyon #monterey-canyon #science-and-environment