Ocean Floor Bathymetry
This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0 35 000 feet below sea level.
Ocean floor bathymetry. The taking and analysis of bathymetric measurements is one of the core areas of modern hydrography and a fundamental component in ensuring the safe transport of goods worldwide. After clicking ok a filter will be applied to the multibeam single beam and nos hydrographic surveys layers displaying only data of interest. Bathymetric maps look a lot like topographic maps which use lines to show the shape and elevation of land features. As the ocean floor climbs slowly toward the center of the mid ocean ridge its sediment blanket gets thinner and its surface more irregular.
Occupations or careers related to bathymetry include the study of oceans and rocks and minerals on the ocean floor and the study of underwater earthquakes or volcanoes. Download scanned versions of the national ocean service nos bathymetric and fishing maps series from the noaa national centers. Bathymetry is the study of the beds or floors of water bodies including the ocean rivers streams and lakes national ocean service national oceanic and atmospheric administration u s. Topographic maps of the sea floor.
Specify a desired range of survey years platform name source institution and survey id. The following features are shown at example depths to scale though each feature has a considerable range at which it may occur. Bathymetry is the measurement of the depth of water in oceans rivers or lakes. Search for more papers by this author.
Continental shelf 300 feet continental slope 300 10 000 feet abyssal plain 10 000 feet abyssal hill 3 000 feet up from the abyssal plain seamount 6 000 feet. Search for more papers by this author. Download scanned versions of the national ocean service nos bathymetric and fishing maps series from the noaa national centers for environmental information ncei and collocated world data service for geophysics. An analysis of the variation of ocean floor bathymetry and heat flow with age.
There are many other features you may also notice revealed by the bathymetry map of the pacific ocean floor. For older ocean floor the depth decays exponentially with age toward a constant asymptotic value. To learn more about plate tectonics and how it shapes earth s surface see. Here the ocean floor is marked by thousand mile cracks called fracture zones that lie at right angles across the mid ocean ridge.
The map serves as a tool for performing scientific engineering marine geophysical and environmental studies that are required in the development of energy and marine resources.