Whereas topographic features are often readily observed by scientists on land, the physical characteristics of the seafloor—collectively known as bathymetry—are less accessible, sometimes located miles beneath the surface where even sunlight cannot reach. To better understand these deep-sea bathymetric features, scientists rely on remote-sensing tools such as satellites, sonar, and submersible robots. 

Satellite-derived bathymetry of the seafloor—even miles-deep valleys such as Escanaba Trough—can be viewed on web-based applications such as Google Maps. Satellites measure deviations in sea surface height, created by gravitational attraction to seafloor features like ridges, trenches, and volcanoes. These maps offer widespread coverage of seafloor bathymetry, but at a relatively low resolution.

Research vessels improve bathymetric resolution by using multibeam sonar. These vessels emit a swath of sound pulses from the hull of the ship that are reflected off the seafloor. The timing of returning sound pulses is used to determine seafloor depth, while the intensity of the returning signal informs seafloor composition (e.g., solid rock or soft mud). This data is integrated into high-resolution seafloor maps. 

Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

Sometimes, seafloor maps with even more detail are required. To better understand the composition and distribution of hydrothermal systems in Escanaba Trough and characterize its unique ecosystems, researchers used the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Sentry and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Jason to navigate to seafloor areas with known or suspected hydrothermal activity.

Two miles below the ocean’s surface in Escanaba Trough, the seafloor is spreading apart. New oceanic crust pushes up from Earth’s mantle only to be met with blankets of thick sediment, frigid temperatures, and complete darkness.  

Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

Cold seawater containing dissolved gases and minerals soaks through the sediment, squeezing into every crack, crevice, and pore of the new crust. Met with high temperatures, this seawater is transformed into hydrothermal fluid that rises back up through the seafloor, creating massive mounds and towering chimneys of metal-rich sulfides. These seafloor features were among the targets researchers mapped with the AUV Sentry.

After launching from the ship and descending to the seafloor, Sentry swam 70 meters from the bottom, following a route programmed by technicians onboard. Using multibeam sonar and an array of other sensors, Sentry data was used to generate seafloor maps with a resolution twenty times greater than the ship’s multibeam maps. 

Mapping closer to the seafloor with Sentry is like using a telephoto lens to take a picture. Zoom out and you’ll capture rolling hills and valleys. Zoom in and you’ll see those hills and valleys are full of mysterious pockmarks and clusters of narrow chimneys.

The interdisciplinary team of engineers, geophysicists, volcanologists, and geologists aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition used maps created by Sentry to plan dive locations for the ROV Jason. Dive locations included target features where samples were collected to help answer key scientific questions, as well as unidentified features that sometimes took scientists by surprise.

Aided by Sentry’s detailed maps and Jason’s powerful lights and high-definition video cameras, researchers could “see” the seafloor in astonishing detail, illuminating a part of this planet never before observed by humans.

Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details