ocean basins.pptVIP

chapter4 Ocean Basins Chapter 4 Ocean Basins Speaker : Levy 2011.10.30 outline 4.1 The Ocean Floor Is Mapped by Bathymetry 4.2 Ocean-Floor Topography Varies with Location 4.3 Continental Margins May Be Active or Passive 4.4 The Topology of Deep-Ocean Basins Differs from That of Continental Margins Bathymetry: The discovery and study of ocean floor contours. Posidonius : The earliest-known bathymetry studies were carried out in Mediterranean by him in 85 B.C.E. In the 1870s,the researchers aboard HMS Challenger added the innovation of a steam-powered winch to raise the line and weight. In June 1922,an echo sounder made the first continuous profile across an ocean basin aboard the USS Stewart, a U.S. 4.1 The Ocean Floor Is Mapped by Bathymetry Seamen handling the steam winch aboard HMS Challenger The accuracy of an echo sounder can be affected by water conditions and bottom contours A multibeam echo sounder uses as many as 121 beams radiating from a ship’s hull Satellites can be used to map seabed contours 4.1 The Ocean Floor Is Mapped by Bathymetry South America viewed by satellite altimetry. 4.2 Ocean-Floor Topography Varies with Location How would you characterize the general shape of an ocean basin? Ocean basins are not bathtub-shaped. The submerged edges of continents form shelves at basin margins, and the center of a basin is often raised by a ridge. A graph showing the distribution of elevations and depths on earth 4.2 Ocean-Floor Topography Varies with Location continental margin: the submerged outer edge of a continent (passive continental margin and active continental margin) continental shelf :the shallow, submerged extension of a continent continental slope: is the transition between the gently descending continental shelf and the deep-ocean floor continental rise :Along passive margins, the oceanic crust at the base of the continental slope is covered by an apron of accumulated sediment 4.3 Continental Margin