1. Topography Is the study of Earth's surface shape and features.
Ocean topography is the study of the ocean floor and the features.

2. Earth’s Solid-Surface Topography

3. Topography of Earth’s Ocean Basins

4. Topography of Pacific Ocean Basin

6. SONAR

7. Sound Navigation and Ranging
SONAR

8. C. Echo Sounding
Shapes can be determined by measuring the time it takes for the sound to “bounce back”
Some marine life also uses this method.

9. Echo sounder and multibeam sonar
Figure 9.11

11. Satellites: provide great range and speed in collecting data

12. Satellite Radar
Use of space-based radar to reflect off ocean surface, giving a very precise sea surface profile; sea surface profile anomalies closely mimic the underlying seafloor profile

13. Sonar helps us map the ocean floor

14. Observing the Ocean Floor
Alvin takes you there

16. Main Features

19. Features of the Ocean Floor
What is the deepest place in our oceans?
What type of plate boundary makes deep oceanic trenches?
Where is the sediment carried by rivers deposited in our oceans?
What type of plate boundary is located at mid-ocean ridges?
How does Earth’s climate effect sea levels?

20. Continental Shelf
The continental shelf the gently sloping edge of the continent. Ocean water is shallow on the continental shelf.

23. Continental Slope
The descending slope which connects the sea floor to the Continental shelf. This is still considered to be part of the Continent.

26. Continental Rise
A gentle slope with a generally smooth surface, built up by the shedding of sediments from the continental block, and located between the continental slope and the abyssal plain.

28. The Sea Floor
Continental Margin – shallow area made of continental crust
Deep-Ocean Basin – deep area made of oceanic crust

31. Abyssal Plain
Abyssal plains are flat or very gently sloping areas of the deep ocean basin floor. They generally lie between the foot of a continental rise and a mid-oceanic ridge

35. Underwater mountain range
Mid-Ocean Ridge
Underwater mountain range

40. Valley from oceanic seafloor spreading
Rift Valley
Valley from oceanic seafloor spreading

41. Underwater mountains formed from underwater volcano / plateau
Seamount / Gyout
Underwater mountains formed from underwater volcano / plateau

44. Trench
Long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor. They are also the deepest parts of the ocean floor.

47. Mariana Trench The deepest part of the world's oceans
The deepest location on the surface of the Earth's crust
It has a maximum depth of about 10,911 meters, or 11 kilometers.

48. While we know relatively little about our oceans, the Mariana Trench is the least explored region of the ocean. The Mariana Trench is the deepest segment of the ocean, particularly at its deepest point entitled the Challenger Deep, which reaches down to a whopping 6.85 miles. What we do know about the Mariana Trench is fascinating – it’s filled with strange and unique creatures that have accustomed to the intense pressure of the water and the extreme temperatures found at its depths, like the anglerfish. Although we know more about the Mariana Trench now, than at any other point in history, it’s the least explored place on Eart