Ocean Exploration and Ocean Exploration and Sea Floor CharacteristicsSea Floor Characteristics

88thth Grade Earth Science Grade Earth Science

Ocean ExplorationOcean Exploration

ShipsShips – People have used the oceans since – People have used the oceans since ancient times. They have charted and mapped ancient times. They have charted and mapped the oceans, currents, and tides mostly by the oceans, currents, and tides mostly by studying the stars.studying the stars.

1925 – 1925 – SonarSonar developed; use of echo sounding developed; use of echo sounding to determine the depth of the ocean floor.to determine the depth of the ocean floor.

1943 – 1943 – SCUBASCUBA developed: Jacques Cousteau developed: Jacques Cousteau created a tank that allowed people to breathe created a tank that allowed people to breathe underwater and stay submersed for much longer underwater and stay submersed for much longer than ever before.than ever before.

Ships, etcShips, etc

Ocean ExplorationOcean Exploration

1960 – 1960 – SubmersiblesSubmersibles: Scientists for the first time : Scientists for the first time went to the bottom of the challenger deep (over went to the bottom of the challenger deep (over 11 km deep).11 km deep).

1978 – 1978 – Satellite TechnologySatellite Technology: Scientists could : Scientists could now use SEASAT to observe the oceans. The now use SEASAT to observe the oceans. The satellites can track depth, temperature, currents, satellites can track depth, temperature, currents, weather, etc.weather, etc.

2003 – 2003 – Deep Flight AviatorDeep Flight Aviator: New type of : New type of submersible that moves faster and has better submersible that moves faster and has better views than ever before.views than ever before.

SEASATSEASAT

Submersibles:Submersibles:

Ocean Floor FeaturesOcean Floor Features

Continental ShelfContinental Shelf: Considered part of the : Considered part of the continent itself, it’s the gently sloping part continent itself, it’s the gently sloping part of the continent that begins to go of the continent that begins to go underwater.underwater.

Continental SlopeContinental Slope: Steeply sloping part of : Steeply sloping part of the continent that is completely the continent that is completely underwater.underwater.

Abyssal PlainAbyssal Plain: Flat bottom of the ocean : Flat bottom of the ocean floor.floor.

Ocean Floor FeaturesOcean Floor Features

Mid-Ocean RidgeMid-Ocean Ridge: Mountain range in the : Mountain range in the middle of the ocean; located where new middle of the ocean; located where new ocean floor is being created by plate ocean floor is being created by plate separation (located in Atlantic, not Pacific)separation (located in Atlantic, not Pacific)

TrenchTrench: Deepest part of the ocean; formed : Deepest part of the ocean; formed where one plate goes under the other where one plate goes under the other (located in Pacific, not the Atlantic)(located in Pacific, not the Atlantic)

Ocean Floor FeaturesOcean Floor Features

SeamountSeamount: Isolated mountain (away from : Isolated mountain (away from the ridge) that does not reach the surface.the ridge) that does not reach the surface.

IslandIsland: A seamount that is tall enough to : A seamount that is tall enough to reach the surfacereach the surface

Ocean Features DiagramOcean Features Diagram

Atlantic Ocean ProfileAtlantic Ocean Profile

The Atlantic Ocean SeafloorThe Atlantic Ocean Seafloor

Ocean LifeOcean Life

Ocean LifeOcean Life

BenthosBenthos: Bottom Dwellers – Animals or : Bottom Dwellers – Animals or plants that inhabit the ocean floor (crabs, plants that inhabit the ocean floor (crabs, sea stars, lobsters, octopus)sea stars, lobsters, octopus)

NektonNekton: Swimmers – Animals that have : Swimmers – Animals that have the ability to swim from place to place the ability to swim from place to place (squid, most fish, whales, seals)(squid, most fish, whales, seals)

PlanktonPlankton: Floaters – Animals or plants that : Floaters – Animals or plants that depend on currents and waves (tiny young depend on currents and waves (tiny young fish, diatoms, some jelly fish)fish, diatoms, some jelly fish)

Benthos-Bottom DwellersBenthos-Bottom Dwellers

Nekton-swimmersNekton-swimmers

Plankton-floatersPlankton-floaters

Relationship between organismsRelationship between organisms

Food WebFood Web: When one organism eats : When one organism eats another organism that eats a plantanother organism that eats a plant

ExampleExample: Polar bear eats a seal which : Polar bear eats a seal which eats artic cod which eats silversides which eats artic cod which eats silversides which eats algae.eats algae.

The energy is passed from one organism The energy is passed from one organism to the next as they eat the objects.to the next as they eat the objects.

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Ocean HabitatsOcean Habitats

The The Intertidal ZoneIntertidal Zone: the area on or near : the area on or near the beach between high tide and low tide.the beach between high tide and low tide.

The organisms that live there must be able The organisms that live there must be able to tolerate changes such as salinity and to tolerate changes such as salinity and temperature, as well as periods of being temperature, as well as periods of being underwater and out of the water. They underwater and out of the water. They also have to deal with pounding waves.also have to deal with pounding waves.

Examples: Crabs, sea stars, sea Examples: Crabs, sea stars, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs.cucumbers, hermit crabs.

Intertidal ZoneIntertidal Zone

Ocean HabitatsOcean Habitats

Neritic ZoneNeritic Zone: Extends from the low tide : Extends from the low tide line out to the edge of the continental line out to the edge of the continental shelf. shelf.

This area is shallow and receives a steady This area is shallow and receives a steady supply of sunlight, so the water is warm supply of sunlight, so the water is warm and full of plant life which makes it and full of plant life which makes it bursting with animal life also!bursting with animal life also!

This would be the area where a lot of This would be the area where a lot of fishing industries obtain their fish.fishing industries obtain their fish.

Neritic ZoneNeritic Zone

Ocean HabitatsOcean Habitats

The Open OceanThe Open Ocean: begins at the end of the : begins at the end of the shelf and continues into the deep seasshelf and continues into the deep seas

This area receives less sunlight and fewer This area receives less sunlight and fewer nutrients, so it supports fewer animals.nutrients, so it supports fewer animals.

The animals that live here travel for miles The animals that live here travel for miles for food supplies.for food supplies.

Examples: Whales, sharks and squidExamples: Whales, sharks and squid

Open OceanOpen Ocean

Water ColumnWater Column

Don’t forget that the water also differs as you Don’t forget that the water also differs as you go down into the ocean!go down into the ocean!

Top Layer = Mixed layer or Surface ZoneTop Layer = Mixed layer or Surface Zone Middle Layer = Thermocline or Transition ZoneMiddle Layer = Thermocline or Transition Zone Bottom Layer = Deep water (zone)Bottom Layer = Deep water (zone)

ThermoclineThermocline

Shore ZonesShore Zones Sandy ShoresSandy Shores: Flat land areas that contain : Flat land areas that contain

beachesbeaches A Beach is an area made up of broken rocks or A Beach is an area made up of broken rocks or

shells near the shore line.shells near the shore line. The color of the beach depends on the color of The color of the beach depends on the color of

the rock being broken down. There are white the rock being broken down. There are white sand, green sand, black sand, and of course the sand, green sand, black sand, and of course the ugly tan New Jersey beaches!ugly tan New Jersey beaches!

New Jersey, Maryland, Carolinas, and Florida all New Jersey, Maryland, Carolinas, and Florida all have sandy shores.have sandy shores.

Sandy beachesSandy beaches

Shore ZonesShore Zones

Rocky Shore ZoneRocky Shore Zone: Sometimes the waves : Sometimes the waves of the ocean hit directly onto rocks; places of the ocean hit directly onto rocks; places where there are not any beaches.where there are not any beaches.

Caves: are a big feature at these locationsCaves: are a big feature at these locations Examples: Maine, Massachusetts, North Examples: Maine, Massachusetts, North

and West Coast of the U.S.and West Coast of the U.S.

Rocky ShoresRocky Shores

Sea CavesSea Caves

QuestionsQuestions

1)1) Identify the three categories of ocean Identify the three categories of ocean organisms and describe their characteristics.organisms and describe their characteristics.

2)2) What are conditions like in the intertidal zone?What are conditions like in the intertidal zone?

3)3) Describe the physical conditions in the Neritic Describe the physical conditions in the Neritic Zone.Zone.

4)4) What are the two type of shore zones and give What are the two type of shore zones and give a specific location where each would be found.a specific location where each would be found.