The Mariana trench: what science knows today about the deepest place on Earth

2018-01-05 09:07

The Mariana trench: what science knows today about the deepest place on Earth
People have investigated only five percent of the seabed, which is still one of the greatest mysteries of our planet.

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The best students in the school learned: the highest point on earth — mount Everest (8848 m), the deepest trench, the Mariana, reports Rus.Media. However, if about Everest we know a lot of interesting facts about trench in the Pacific, besides the fact that it is the most deep, most people do not know. Despite the fact that the oceans are closer to us than the mountain tops and even more distant planets of the Solar system, people have investigated only five percent of the seabed, which is still one of the greatest mysteries of our planet.

In the context of the Mariana trench has a characteristic V-shaped profile with very steep slopes. The bottom is flat, of a width of a few tens of kilometers, separated by ridges on several almost closed areas. The pressure at the bottom of the Mariana trench is more than 1,100 times more than normal atmospheric pressure, reaching 3150 kg/cm2. The temperature at the bottom of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) is surprisingly high due to hydrothermal venting, nicknamed “black smokers”. They constantly heat the water and maintain the overall temperature in the basin at about 3°C.

The first attempt to measure the depth of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) made in 1875, the Oceanographic command of the English vessel “Challenger” during the scientific expedition on the World’s oceans. The British discovered the Mariana trench accidentally, during a routine survey of the bottom using lot (of Italian hemp rope and lead weights). With all inaccuracies of such a measurement, the result was astonishing: 8367 m. In 1877 in Germany, was issued a map on which the location was marked as the Abyss of the Challenger. Measurement made in 1899 aboard the American Collier “Nero,” has shown great depth: 9636 M. In 1951, the bottom of the cavity pacify the English hydrographic ship “Challenger”, named after its predecessor, informally referred to as “Challenger II”. Now with the help of sonar was registered 10899 m Maximum depth indicator of depth obtained in 1957, the Soviet research vessel “Vityaz”: 11 034±50 m. it is Strange that the anniversary date in General discovery Russian oceanologists and no one remembered. However, say that the deposition was not taken into account changing environmental conditions at different depths. This incorrect figure is still present on many physico-geographical maps. In 1959 the American research vessel “Streyndzher” measure the depth of the trough is quite unusual for a science way — with depth bombs. The result is 10915 m. the Last known measurement conducted in 2010, the American ship “Sumner”, they showed the depth of 10994±40 m.

To get absolutely accurate readings even with the most modern equipment it isn’t possible. Operation of the sounder is hampered by the fact that the speed of sound in water depends on its properties, which are manifested differently depending on the depth. In the photo – the most rugged underwater vehicles after tests at the maximum pressure

Was recently developed Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), capable of operating at a depth of 14 kilometers. Hence some of the conclusions that the specialists-oceanographers have discovered in the World ocean deeper than the Mariana trench.

The existence of the Mariana trench has been known for a long time, and there are technical possibilities for the descent to the bottom, but over the last 60 years only three people had the opportunity to do it: a scientist, a soldier and a filmmaker. During the research of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) on the bottom, double-down vehicles with people on Board and four times (as on April 2017) — automatic devices. This way, less than men went to the moon.

On 23 January 1960 to the bottom of the depths of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) fell bathyscaphe “Trieste”.

On Board were Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard (1922-2008) and US Navy Lieutenant, Explorer don Walsh (born. in 1931). Designed the Bathyscaphe father Jacques Piccard — physicist, inventor of the stratospheric balloon and bathyscaphe Auguste Piccard (1884-1962). Descent “Trieste” lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes, the crew was periodically interrupted. At a depth of 9 km plexiglass cracked the glass, but the descent continued until the Trieste descended to the bottom, where the crew spotted a 30-centimeter flat fish and some rampado being. Having stayed at a depth of 10912 m about 20 min, the crew started lifting, which was held for 3 h 15 min.

Another attempt to go down to the bottom of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) the husband did in 2012, when the American film Director James Cameron (born 1954) became the third reached the bottom of the Abyss of the Challenger. Previously, he repeatedly plunged into the Atlantic ocean at a depth of more than 4 km during the filming of the movie “Titanic.” Now on the bathyscaphe “Dipsi Challenger” he fell into the abyss for 2 hours 37 minutes — almost twice as fast “Trieste” — and spent 2 h 36 min at a depth of 10898 m. and then rose to the surface in just half an hour. At the bottom of Cameron only saw creatures like shrimp. The fauna and flora of the Mariana trench are not well understood.

In the 1950-ies Soviet scientists during the expedition vessel “Vityaz” found life at depths of more than 7 thousand m. Before this it was considered that there is nothing living. Were open pogonophora — a new family of marine invertebrates that live in chitinous tubes. The debate about their scientific classification is still in progress.

The main inhabitants of the Mariana trench (Mariana trench) at the bottom, it basophilia (developing only at high pressure) bacteria, protozoa creatures foraminifera — single-celled in sinks and xenophyophore amoeba, reaching 20 cm in diameter and live at the expense of shoveling sludge. The foraminifera were able to produce Japanese automatic deep-sea probe “Kiko” in 1995, shipped on 10911,4 m and took soil samples.

The larger inhabitants of the gutter live across its thickness. Life in depth made them or blind, or with very developed eyes, often telescopic. Many have photovore — the bodies glow, a kind of lure for loot: some long branches, like a fish-anglerfish, while others do so once in the mouth. Some accumulate the glowing liquid and in case of danger douse her enemy like a “light curtain”.

Since 2009 the territory of the basin is part of the U.S. environmental protection zone Marine national monument the Marianas Trench area 246608 km2. Area includes only the underwater part of the trough and the waters. The basis for this action was the fact that the Northern Mariana Islands and the island of GUAM is actually a U.S. territory is an island within the waters. Abyss Challenger in the composition of this zone is not included, as it is located on the ocean territory of the Federated States of Micronesia.