Todays technologyparticularly sonar, satellites, and submersiblesallows. This positive topographic high is surrounded by abandoned channels with levees. Researchers today published the most detailed map of the ocean floor ever produced. Bathymetry ocean floor topography words to know submarine canyon an underwater canyon possibly an old river channel. Ocean floor topography and features of the ocean floor. Map depicting the depths of the oceans and land relief made in 1976. Fortunately, researchers are able to use remote sensing to access the more remote areas of the ocean floor to create a complete map of the worlds oceans. Mapping the ocean floor geography of the ocean floor. Apr 27, 2017 ocean floor topography and features 1. Ocean floor topography and features linkedin slideshare. This study is extensive, and it has been established that the ocean floor has similar features of mountains and valleys as on the earth.
Global seafloor topography, wdc gmg, boulder rp1, poster. Deep ocean floor can focus tsunami waves live science. Google earth maps show the ocean floor like never before. In this computer model of the ocean floor north of puerto rico, caribbean sea, western central atlantic ocean basin, the purple areas indicate the puerto rico trench, 8. Oceanfloor bathymetry the term bathymetry is defined as the depth of water relative to sea level.
Oct 06, 2014 fortunately, researchers are able to use remote sensing to access the more remote areas of the ocean floor to create a complete map of the worlds oceans. Why the first complete map of the ocean floor is stirring controversial waters charting these watery depths could transform oceanography. This interactive flashbased viewer shows solid earth topography land height and sea depth of the entire globe based on the etopo2 data set. Ocean floor topography kettering city school district. This is expensive and timeconsuming, so sonar maps are mostly only made of. Why the first complete map of the ocean floor is stirring. These variations are expressed in terms of average sea surface height ssh relative to the earths geoid. Sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the hudson. This retrospective paper chronicles the major progress realized in accurately mapping the static component of ocean surface topography and how as a result our knowledge of the global ocean floor s.
Bathyetry helps us understand where the oceanfloor features are and how deep the oceans are. A new digital bathymetric model of the worlds oceans epic awi. Pdf global sea floor topography from satellite altimetry. This retrospective paper chronicles the major progress realized in accurately mapping the static component of ocean surface topography and how as a.
The under water topography maps have been developed by the study of ocean floor topography. Warmer colors are indicative of higher elevations and cooler colors of. The geoid is the shape the sea surface would have if all the currents and tides stopped. See more ideas about ocean projects, science projects and earth science. As will be demonstrated later, this is a very crude ap. A topographic profile of the pacific ocean floor between japan and british columbia is shown in figure 18. Ocean currents cannot pass through ridges or seamounts. This is expensive and timeconsuming, so sonar maps are mostly only made of places where ships spend the most time. This superdetailed map of the ocean floor s topography is based on satellite measurements of subtle lumps on the oceans surface.
Data collected by satellites and remote sensing instruments were used to created a model at least twice as. Both give the height of the ocean or land above the geoid. Topographic profile through the submerged part of a typical passive. It could also aid deep sea miners looking for profit. Sea stacks, beaches, sea cliffs, lagoons, shore faces, wave cut platforms. Surprisingly fine scale details are evident in observations of near shore depths. Map of oregon coast showing topography and bathymetry. A separate page provides descriptions of bathymetric features of the ocean floor. Titration for cl led to the use of chlorinity units, also expressed as ppt. Representation of topography by shaved cells in a height. This archived document is maintained by the oregon state library as part of the oregon documents depository program. Use the ocean floor features teacher version, answer key to check student work.
The ocean floor worksheets unit atlantic ocean floor topography lab 4th edition classical conversation science worksheets with chapter the ocean floor. Precision orbit determination uses satellite tracking. Consequently, mapping the sea floorbathymetryis an important. Ocean floor bathymetry for seafloor greater than 80 m. To view files in pdf format, download free copy of adobe acrobat reader. Twentyfive years of progress in sea floor mapping by.
Explorations after 1950 revealed the true complex nature of the ocean floor. Ideal as a supplement to a curriculum or for independent study. This superdetailed map of the ocean floors topography is based on satellite measurements of subtle lumps on the oceans surface. The topography reveals the smallscale plate tectonic features, such as spreading ridges, transform faults, trenches and the distribution of offridge. Arctic ocean topography of the ocean floor britannica. The scripps sea floor map has also been used to discover a new microplate in the indian ocean. Ocean floor topography features flashcards quizlet. Figure 1 shows estimates of the paths of the subantarctic and polar fronts, the two major jets that comprise the acc, superimposed over the seafloor topography of the. Fine art printing each print is made to order and hand printed in portland, oregon. Explore the worlds most detailed map of the seafloor. After the students classify the images under the specific descriptions of the ocean floor features, use the vocabulary label cards to label each column 6. Ocean surface topography science mission directorate. Typically, finelywrought ocean maps have been the result of extensive sonar.
Geology of the sea floor educational videos watchknowlearn. Ocean floor topography worksheet answers floor roma. Images of estimated sea floor topography from satellite. Warmer colors are indicative of higher elevations and cooler colors of lower elevations. Ocean floor and its features geography notes for upsc ncert notes on. Bathymetry refers to the underwater depth of lake or ocean floor.
The questions are outlined in three separate tables. Ocean floor topography the study of numerous landforms that exist on or below the earth. The detailed topography of this sea floor map is the most accurate in printdeveloped by combining all available depth soundings collected from noaa satellite technology and radar altimeters. Pdf on jan 1, 2003, david thistle and others published the deepsea floor. About 10% of the mantle rock melts under these conditions, producing mafic magma. At ocean depths that are intersected by topography, currents steer around major topographic features. Choose from 500 different sets of the ocean floor topography flashcards on quizlet. Arctic ocean arctic ocean topography of the ocean floor. What is the ocean depth if the signal time of return is 5. The ocean floorfeatures underwater using sonar, seismic profiling, satellites, and underwater research vehicles, oceanographers have discovered that the topography, or shape of the ocean floor is quite similar to many of the dramatic sights we see on the landforms on earths continents. Mar 12, 2012 deep ocean floor can focus tsunami waves. Bathymetry is part of mapping the ocean floor because it is the study. Coloration and relief texture on the map provide indications of elevation. Introduction to questions on the topography of the ocean floor.
From the late 19th century, when the norwegian explorer fridtjof nansen first discovered an ocean in the central arctic, until the middle of the 20th century, it was believed that the arctic ocean was a single large basin. Be careful when interpreting this diagram and others. The continental rise is the gently sloping section of the continental margin. Ocean surface topography is measured using a satellite altimeter. The continental slope is the part of the ocean floor that extends downward from the continental shelf. Ocean floor topography involves the study of ocean bottom features, including the outer continental shelf, continental slopes and ocean waves desktops.
Sandwell developing the theory this dynamic earth, usgs. Students imagine what it might be like from the edge of a continent down to the deepest part of the ocean. Data collected by satellites and remote sensing instruments were. Variations in the topography of the ocean floor affects the gravitational pull which can be captured by radar altimeters on satellites. Tens of thousands of excellent, educational videos in a huge, intuitive directory. Designed for teachers, students, parents, homeschoolers, educators and all lifelong learners.
Sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the. Learn the ocean floor topography with free interactive flashcards. An oceanic basin is the land surface under an ocean that includes the topography under the water. The topography of the northern atlantic ocean is shown in figure 18. The ocean floors can be divided into four major divisions. Ocean floor bathymetry the term bathymetry is defined as the depth of water relative to sea level. Click on the following figures for larger images in pdf format. As the topography of the continents are diverse, so is the ocean floor. Ocean surface topography measurement physical oceanography. In addition to this poster, digital data will be available at a later date on cdrom. Ocean surface topography or sea surface topography, also called ocean dynamic topography, are highs and lows on the ocean surface, similar to the hills and valleys of earths land surface depicted on a topographic map. Mid ocean ridge a divergent boundary where plates are moving apart and new sea floor is forming guyot flat topped seamount seamount pointed mount abyssal hill hillsmounds within the abyssal plain.
Ocean surface topography data also have many other applications, such as in fisheries management, navigation and offshore operations. Pdf morphological features in the bay of bengal researchgate. The floor of the oceans map topography of lands and oceans. Maps compiled from seafloor topography data are offering a chance to virtually explore the ocean floor with the click of a mouse. Topography is most commonly represented in height coordinate ocean models as staircase or step topography used since bryan 1969, where the steps are chosen to. Jun 10, 2011 maps compiled from seafloor topography data are offering a chance to virtually explore the ocean floor with the click of a mouse. Click card to see definition tap card to see definition area between the shoreline and the continental slope gradually sloping end of a continent that extends out.
Bathymetry is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the shape or topography of the ocean floor. Bathymetry 15 an ocean of weather in islands in the stream 2002 finding the way from deep east 2001 at the edge of the continent in islands in the stream 2002 mapping seamounts in the gulf of alaska from exploring alaskas seamounts 2002. Arctic sea, one relies on charts of bottom topography that were. Sea floor topography and ocean circulation introduction. The content and activities in this topic will work towards building an understanding of the physical features on the ocean floor. Ocean and land topography are defined exactly the same way. Gloria sidescansonar mosaic of the sea floor off oregon and. Sea floor topography as shaded relief with backscatter intensity superimposed in color. The volume of the shaved cell, vi,j,k, is smaller than that of the unshaved cell, and the area of the faces of exchange between neighboring cells are also reduced. Thus bathymetric measurements can determine the topography of the ocean floor, and have shown that the sea floor is varied, complex, and everchanging, containing plains, canyons, active and extinct volcanoes, mountain ranges, and hot springs. The topography map shows seafloor structure while the gravity map includes subseafloor anomalies. The antarctic circumpolar current acc, the gulf stream, and the kuroshio extension all steer around ridges and seamounts.