Only five percent of the seabed topographically mapped, meaning that 65% of the entire planet remains relatively unknown. If you ask certain people, “how much of the ocean has been explored?”. They will tell you that the frontiers of scientific exploration are two, not just one. Deep space has long held our imaginations, but right here on Earth, the depths of the ocean remain one of the least explored places by man. From this context, you will be clear about this matter. Without discusses, let’s gather knowledge.
Getting know: how much of the ocean has been explored?
Only five percent of the seabed has been topographically mapped, which means that 65 percent of the entire planet. It is not counting continental masses) remains relatively unknown. Since the dawn of space exploration, NASA has managed to map Mercury, the dwarf planet Ceres. Almost all of Venus, and even Mars, which is over 220 million km away from us. Not to forget the incredibly detailed satellite images we took at each lunar ravine. However, an international group of marine experts is part of the Oceans General Bathymetric Chart (GEBCO). An oceanographic organization founded in 1903. They say that they want the future of marine exploration to catch up with the space race.
Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping
This week at the Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping. A symposium where scientists, oceanographers, government agencies, and NGOs discuss ocean issues globally. The nonprofit has set out its intentions for a mission worthy of NASA to have the seafloor digitally mapped centimeter by centimeter. Since 1991 we have known more about the topography of Mars than the seabed.
weird and wonderful creatures in the ocean have a much more direct impact on our lives than the surface of Mars,” Vice Admiral Shin Tani, president of the GEBCO commission. Vice Admiral Tani’s sentiments echo the long-standing rivalry between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For years, the space agency has outclassed NOAA in funding, media coverage, private sector innovation, and even general enthusiasm.
What is the main cause behind the deep space distance?
The main reason is that deep space is a distant, hostile, and sterile place, the study of which yields few important discoveries, but an abundance of sensationalist statements,” wrote sociologist Amitai Etzioni of the glaring disparity in Issues in Science and Technology. In contrast, the oceans are close, and studying them is a potential source of discoveries that could prove useful in understanding so many issues. It is from climate change to disease.”
In fiscal plans for 2017, the Senate Appropriations Committee awarded NOAA $ 5.7 billion, which is about $ 33.5 million more than the agency received this year. On the other hand, NASA received an additional $ 21 million out of $ 19.3 billion for 2017 programs.
How much of the ocean has been explored – More question
It’s a question of commitment,” Larry Mayer, director of the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Marine Science and Coastal Engineering, told the BBC. “We could map the entire depth of the oceans for only $ 3 billion — less than what a single Mars mission costs.”
Technically speaking, a large portion of the underwater soil has already been mapped. Still, it gives a resolution of only five kilometers, which at best shows a rough approximation of the sea ditches and mountains. Compared to the 20-meter resolution of Martian maps, anything produced by bathymetry is clearly light years behind.
Why can underwater soil not be mapped?
Unlike moons and planets, underwater soil mapped with radar because seawater tends to block radio waves from satellites. To produce high-resolution images of the seafloor. The experts need to employ a series of sophisticated sonar techniques. They can map an infinitesimal fragment of the deep sea at a resolution of about 100 meters.
Sonar systems used to locate the Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared in 2014. They coincidentally discovered extinct underwater volcanoes, ridges, and ditches hitherto unknown to explorers.
“The recently acquired high-resolution bathymetric data made it possible to see these underwater soil features for the first time,” said the Australian Transport Safet Bureau. “They also reveal details of the seabed that visible from the low-resolution satellite bathymetric data used so far.”
How much of the ocean has been explored and their ambitious projects
At the moment, ambitious projects like the Shell Ocean Discovery Xprize Challenge are trying to harness the ingenuity of people around the world to map the seafloor. Even Hollywood director James Cameron has invested time, money, and resources into the cause. However, for now, the possibility of ocean exploration becoming a priority remains as obscure as those deep sea depths themselves.
Survey according to USA SEA institute
Did you know that humans have explored less than 10% of the oceans? Last fall, scientists announced the completion of the Census of Marine Life – a decade of making a global effort to shed light on the extraordinary diversity of life that inhabits the sea. The efforts of more than 2,000 scientists have brought the total number of known marine species to nearly 250,000. However, they believe that it is less than a quarter of what is in the sea. Most of the life of the oceans remains unknown to science. This means that, even for the scientists who know the most, the ocean is largely a large blue bag of mysteries. Now you have enough knowledge on how much of the ocean has been explored. Happy Reading!!
