Ocean Bathymetry Overview

Bathymetry is the study of the ocean floor, including ocean depth and features. The four main methods are Multibeam Sonar, Side-scanning Sonar, Satellite Altimetry, and Seismic Profiling.

Multibeam sonar utilizes multiple frequencies of sound to generate detailed images of the ocean floor.

Side-scanning sonar generates detailed images of the ocean floor by towing a sonar instrument behind a survey ship.

<p>Satellite altimetry measures the variation of ocean surface elevation caused by gravitational attraction, mimicking the shape of the seafloor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Seismic profiling uses multiple frequencies of sound to gain information about sub-surface materials and layers below the seafloor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The hypsographic curve illustrates the relationships between the height of land and the depth of the oceans using bathymetric and topographic data.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Most of the ocean is between 3 and 6 kilometers deep, with the maximum depth at the Mariana Trench, which is 11 kilometers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Continental margins are the edges of the continents where Earth's crust transitions from continental to oceanic crust.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Passive continental margins are areas not associated with a plate boundary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Active continental margins are associated with a plate boundary, which can be convergent or transform.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Continental Shelf = Shallow area near the shore Shelf Break = Point where the continental shelf meets the continental slope Continental Slope = Steep slope leading down to the ocean floor Continental Rise = Gentle slope from the continental slope to the deep sea floor</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Submarine canyons are deep valleys cut into the continental shelf created by turbidity currents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Deep-sea fans are created at the base of the continental slope by turbidity currents and consist of layers of graded bedding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Turbidity currents are underwater currents flowing swiftly downslope due to the weight of sediment they carry.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Graded bedding refers to layers created by turbidity currents that settle and form turbidite deposits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Abyssal plains are flat due to the slow settling of fine sediments that fill depressions and irregularities on the ocean floor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Trenches are primarily formed in tectonic settings conducive to their formation, such as subduction zones.</p> Signup and view all the answers