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The Ocean Floor
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Studying the Ocean Floor
Risky to explore ocean floor Ways to survey include: Sonar Satellite Ways to explore: Alvin Deep Flight Jason II & Medea
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Sonar Sound Navigation And Ranging
Sends pulses from a ship down into ocean… bounces off bottom and returns pulse back to ship Deeper water = longer pulse response
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Satellite Seasat – satellite took images that allowed us to measure direction and speed of ocean currents Geosat – measures changes in height of ocean’s surface Used be top-secret Now used to make ocean maps
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Regions of Ocean Floor Ocean floor is not flat Many features:
Rift valley, mid-ocean ridge, seamounts, and trenches Continental Shelf, C. Slope, C. Rise, and Abyssal Plain
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Ocean Floor
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Regions of Ocean Floor Continental shelf – begins at shoreline and slopes gently toward open ocean. Continues until ocean floor begins to slope more steeply downward Depth can reach 200m Continental Slope – begins at edge of continental shelf. Continues down to flattest part of ocean floor. 200m – 4000m
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Regions of Ocean Floor Continental Rise – the base of the C. Slope, is made of large piles of sediment. The boundary between the continental margin and the deep-ocean basin lies underneath the continental rise. Abyssal Plain – the broad, flat part of the deep-ocean basin. It is covered by mud and the remains of tiny marine organisms. The avg depth is 4000m.
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Exploring Ocean Piloted Vessels: Alvin: - 7m long
Can reach deepest parts of ocean Used to find sunken ships; lost H bomb Found life near hydrothermal vents near Galapagos.
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Exploring Ocean Piloted Vessels: Deep Flight: - underwater airplane
Goal is to one day dive 11,000m deep. Robotic Vessels: Jason II and Medea Reduce costs w/out pilot Can withstand high pressure
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Life in the Ocean
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{Zoo (animal) and Phyto(Plant)}
Marine Life Three main groups : Plankton (microscopic floaters) {Zoo (animal) and Phyto(Plant)} Nekon (swimming organisms) – mammals and fish Benthos (live at bottom) – crabs, starfish, worms, coral, sponges, seaweed, and clams
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Benthic Environment Bottom environment
Region near ocean floor and all the organisms live on or in it Zones Include: Intertidal, Sublittoral, Baythal, Abyssal, and Hadal I’m Sure Being A Handful!
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Benthic Environment
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Pelagic Environment Zone near the ocean’s surface and at middle depths
Beyond Sublittoral Zone and above Abyssal Zone Two Major Zones: Neritic and Oceanic Zone
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Viper Fish Grenadier
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