In those places, rays of sunlight will never penetrate to get there, researchers, risking their lives, put a lot of effort and effort, mysterious creatures live there that look more like alien aliens than ocean inhabitants - all these are deep-sea trenches (troughs) World Ocean.
Geographic feature (value)
ocean trenches - deep cracks at the bottom of the ocean, the length of which reaches at least five thousand meters. They play an important role in shaping climatic conditions and climate in general.
The basins of the World Ocean act as the main sinks of the most abundant carbon gas - CO2, which is the main component in biochemical processes. the globe. Hollows - Catchers organic matter, which is intensively processed by bacteria. Much more bacterial organisms are concentrated in the depressions than on the oceanic plains (up to 6000 meters), which were previously considered the main utilizers of organic matter. In addition, such kind of traps can act in a direction that is opposite to global warming, which helps maintain the planet's ecological system in a balanced state.
Characteristics of sea and ocean trenches
The basins of the marginal seas, which develop in oceanic conditions, are also referred to as oceanic cracks and faults. Sea trenches are deep faults that are located at the bottom of the seas, complete darkness and high pressure reign there. The most famous are the sea depressions that stretch along the eastern shores of Eurasia.
Oceanic depressions are the most common relief elements of the intermediate sector between the ocean and the continental part of the mainland. These long narrow depressions of the ocean floor are located on the outer part of the oceanic ridges of the continental arcs.
Deep sea basins of the oceans
The deepest faults are concentrated in the Pacific region and reach up to 11 km. The deepest place on earth is the Mariana Trench with a recorded depth of 11,022 meters. The length of the trench is 1500 km, the slopes are steep, and the bottom is flat (width from 1 to 5 km).
The deepest in the Indian Ocean is the Java Trench, 7,730 meters deep, over 4,000 kilometers long, and 10 to 50 kilometers wide. It is located near the island of Bali. The bottom of the depression is indented with ledges and underwater canyons, there are active volcanoes, and earthquakes occur.
The longest in the world is the Peru-Chile Trench, its depth reaches 6000 km. This depression is the widest fault in the World Ocean and is recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the world (more than 90 km wide).
The Aleutian Trench stretches from Alaska to Kamchatka with a depth of 7,700 m. A depression was formed during the collision of two Pacific and North American plates.
Mariana Trench interesting facts
(The contour of Mount Chomolungma (Everest) on the scheme of the Marina depression)
If the highest mountain in the world, Chomolungma (Everest), was in the Mariana Trench, then it would be covered with another 2 km of water.
At a depth of about one and a half kilometers from the bottom Pacific Ocean There are thermal springs, so the water warms up to 450 C.
Recently, giant amoeba (up to 10 cm) were discovered at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which has such dimensions due to the environment in which they live.
Not far from Japan, in the depths of the sea, the deepest trench in the world's oceans, the Mariana Trench, hid. This geographical feature got its name due to the islands of the same name located nearby. Scientists call this phenomenon the "Fourth Pole", along with the South, North and the highest point on the planet - Mount Everest.
Geolocation
The coordinates of the Mariana Trench are 11°22` north latitude and 142°35` east longitude. The trench surrounds the coastal islands for a length of more than 2.5 thousand km, and a width of about 69 km. In its form, it resembles English letter V, widened at the top and narrowed at the bottom. This formation was the result of the impact of the boundaries of tectonic plates. The maximum depth of the world ocean in this place is 10994 (plus or minus 40 m).
Rice. 1. Mariana Trench on the map
Compared to Everest, the largest depression is farther from the surface of the Earth than the highest peak. The mountain has a length of 8848 m, and climbing it was much easier than overcoming the incredible pressure, plunging into the abyss of the sea.
The deepest place in the Mariana Trench is the Challenger Deep point, which means “Challenger Deep” in English. It was first explored by a British ship of the same name. They recorded a depth of 11521m.
First studies
The deepest point of the oceans was conquered only in 1960 by two daredevils: Don Walsh and Jacques Picard. They dived on the Trieste bathyscaphe and became the first people in the world to descend first to a depth of 3,000 meters, and then to 10,000 meters. The bottom mark was recorded as early as 30 minutes after the dive. In total, they spent about 3 hours at a depth, and froze significantly. Indeed, in addition to the enormous pressure, there is also low temperature water - about 2 degrees Celsius.
Rice. 2. Mariana Trench in section
In 2012, famous director James Cammeron (“Titanic”) conquered the deepest trench, becoming the third person on Earth to descend this far. It was the most important expedition, during which unique photo and video materials were obtained, as well as bottom samples were taken. Contrary to popular belief, at the bottom is not sand, but mucus - a product of processing the remains of fish bones and plankton.
Flora and fauna
The underwater world of the largest crack has been studied very poorly. It was first discovered that life in this part of the Earth is possible in 1950. Then Soviet scientists suggested that some of the simplest creatures managed to adapt in chitinous pipes. The new family was named pogonophores.
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Various bacteria and single-celled organisms live at the very bottom. For example, an amoeba grows here with a diameter of 20 cm.
The largest number of inhabitants is in the thickness of the gutter at a depth of 500 to 6500 meters. Many of the species of fish that live in the gutter are blind, others have special luminous organs to illuminate in the dark. The pressure and lack of sun made their bodies flat and their skin translucent. Many eyes are on the back and look like small telescopes, spinning in all directions.
Rice. 3. The inhabitants of the Mariana Trench
In addition to the fact that there is no sun and heat here, various toxic gases are emitted from the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Hydrothermal geysers are sources of hydrogen sulfide. It became the basis for the development of Mariana molluscs, despite the fact that this gas is detrimental to this species. marine life. How these protozoa managed to survive, and even save the shell under enormous pressure, remains a mystery.
At the depth there is another unique site. This is the source of "Champagne", from which liquid carbon dioxide is emitted.
What have we learned?
We learned which part of the Earth is the deepest. This is the Mariana Trench. The deepest point is the Challenger Abyss (11,521 m). The first expedition to the bottom ended successfully in 1960. In conditions of pitch darkness, pressure and constant poisonous fumes, a special world has formed here with its unique animals and simple organisms. It is very difficult to say what the world of the Mariana Trench really is, because it has only been studied by 5%.
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Despite the fact that the oceans are closer to us than the outer planets of the solar system, people explored only five percent of the ocean floor, which remains one of the greatest mysteries of our planet.
Here are other interesting facts about what you can meet along the way and at the very bottom of the Mariana Trench.
Temperature at the bottom of the Mariana Trench
1. Very hot water
Going down to such a depth, we expect that it will be very cold there. The temperature here reaches just above zero, varying 1 to 4 degrees Celsius.
However, at a depth of about 1.6 km from the surface of the Pacific Ocean, there are hydrothermal vents called "black smokers". They shoot water that heats up to 450 degrees Celsius.
This water is rich in minerals that help support life in the area. Despite the temperature of the water, which is hundreds of degrees above the boiling point, she does not boil here due to incredible pressure, 155 times higher than on the surface.
Inhabitants of the Mariana Trench
2. Giant toxic amoeba
A few years ago, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, they discovered giant 10-centimeter amoebas, called xenophyophores.
These single-celled organisms probably got so big because of the environment they live in at a depth of 10.6 km. The cold temperature, high pressure, and lack of sunlight most likely contributed to these amoeba got huge.
In addition, xenophyophores have incredible abilities. They are resistant to many elements and chemicals, including uranium, mercury and lead,which would kill other animals and people.
3. Clams
The strong water pressure in the Mariana Trench does not give any animal with a shell or bones a chance to survive. However, in 2012, shellfish were discovered in a trough near serpentine hydrothermal vents. Serpentine contains hydrogen and methane, which allows living organisms to form.
TO How did mollusks keep their shells under such pressure?, remains unknown.
In addition, hydrothermal vents release another gas, hydrogen sulfide, which is deadly to shellfish. However, they learned to bind the sulfur compound into a safe protein, which allowed the population of these mollusks to survive.
At the bottom of the Mariana Trench
4. Pure liquid carbon dioxide
hydrothermal source Champagne The Mariana Trench, which lies outside the Okinawa Trench near Taiwan, is the only known underwater area where liquid carbon dioxide can be found. The spring, discovered in 2005, got its name from the bubbles that turned out to be carbon dioxide.
Many believe that these springs, called "white smokers" because of the lower temperature, may be the source of life. It was in the depths of the oceans with low temperatures and an abundance of chemicals and energy that life could originate.
5. Slime
If we had the opportunity to swim to the very depths of the Mariana Trench, then we would feel that it covered with a layer of viscous mucus. Sand, in its usual form, does not exist there.
The bottom of the depression mainly consists of crushed shells and plankton residues that have accumulated at the bottom of the depression for many years. Due to the incredible pressure of the water, almost everything there turns into fine greyish-yellow thick mud.
Mariana Trench
6. Liquid sulfur
Volcano Daikoku, which is located at a depth of about 414 meters on the way to the Mariana Trench, is the source of one of the rarest phenomena on our planet. Here is lake of pure molten sulfur. The only place where liquid sulfur can be found is Jupiter's moon Io.
In this pit, called "cauldron", a seething black emulsion boils at 187 degrees Celsius. Although scientists have not been able to explore this place in detail, it is possible that even more liquid sulfur is contained deeper. It may reveal the secret of the origin of life on Earth.
According to the Gaia hypothesis, our planet is one self-governing organism in which all living and non-living things are connected to support its life. If this hypothesis is correct, then a number of signals can be observed in the natural cycles and systems of the Earth. So the sulfur compounds created by organisms in the ocean must be stable enough in the water to allow them to pass into the air and back to land again.
7. Bridges
At the end of 2011, in the Mariana Trench, it was discovered four stone bridges, which stretched from one end to the other for 69 km. They appear to have formed at the junction of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates.
One of the bridges Dutton Ridge, which was discovered back in the 1980s, turned out to be incredibly high, as small mountain. At the highest point the ridge reaches 2.5 km over the Challenger Deep.
Like many aspects of the Mariana Trench, the purpose of these bridges remains unclear. However, the very fact that these formations were discovered in one of the most mysterious and unexplored places is amazing.
8James Cameron's dive into the Mariana Trench
Since opening the deepest place in the Mariana Trench - "Challenger Deep" in 1875, only three people were here. The first was an American lieutenant Don Walsh and researcher Jacques Picard who dived on January 23, 1960 on the Trieste.
After 52 years, another person dared to dive here - a famous film director James Cameron. So March 26, 2012 Cameron went down to the bottom and took some photos.
Despite the fact that the oceans are closer to us than the outer planets of the solar system, people have explored only five percent of the ocean floor, which remains one of the greatest mysteries of our planet. The deepest part of the ocean - the Mariana Trench or the Mariana Trench is one of the most famous places, about which we still do not know very much. With water pressure that is a thousand times greater than at sea level, diving into this place is akin to suicide. But thanks to modern technology and a few brave souls who, risking their lives, went down there, we learned a lot of interesting things about this amazing place.
The Mariana Trench or the Mariana Trench is located in the Western Pacific Ocean to the east (about 200 km) of the 15 Mariana Islands near Guam. It is a crescent-shaped trench in the earth's crust, about 2550 km long and 69 km wide on average.
The coordinates of the Mariana Trench are 11°22′ north latitude and 142°35′ east longitude.
According to the latest research in 2011, the depth of the deepest point of the Mariana Trench is about 10,994 meters ± 40 meters. For comparison, the height of the highest peak in the world - Everest is 8,848 meters. This means that if Everest were in the Mariana Trench, it would be covered by another 2.1 km of water.
Here are other interesting facts about what you can meet along the way and at the very bottom of the Mariana Trench.
1. Very hot water
Going down to such a depth, we expect that it will be very cold there. The temperature here reaches just above zero, varying from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. However, at a depth of about 1.6 km from the surface of the Pacific Ocean, there are hydrothermal vents called "black smokers". They shoot water that heats up to 450 degrees Celsius.
This water is rich in minerals that help support life in the area. Despite the temperature of the water, which is hundreds of degrees above the boiling point, the water does not boil here due to the incredible water pressure, 155 times higher than on the surface.
2 Giant Toxic Amoebas
A few years ago, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, giant 10-centimeter amoebas called xenophyophores were discovered. These single-celled organisms probably got so big because of the environment they live in at a depth of 10.6 km. The cold temperature, high pressure and lack of sunlight most likely contributed to the fact that these amoeba acquired huge sizes.
In addition, xenophyophores have incredible abilities. They are resistant to many elements and chemicals, including uranium, mercury and lead, which would kill other animals and people.
3. Clams
The strong water pressure in the Mariana Trench does not give any animal with a shell or bones a chance to survive. However, in 2012, shellfish were discovered in a trough near serpentine hydrothermal vents. Serpentine contains hydrogen and methane, which allows living organisms to form. How the molluscs retained their shell under such pressure remains unknown.
In addition, hydrothermal vents release another gas, hydrogen sulfide, which is deadly to shellfish. However, they learned to bind the sulfur compound into a safe protein, which allowed the population of these mollusks to survive.
4. Pure liquid carbon dioxide
The Champagne Hydrothermal Spring of the Mariana Trench, which lies outside the Okinawa Trench near Taiwan, is the only known underwater area where liquid carbon dioxide can be found. The spring, discovered in 2005, got its name from the bubbles that turned out to be carbon dioxide.
Many believe that these springs, called "white smokers" because of the lower temperature, may be the source of life. It was in the depths of the oceans with low temperatures and an abundance of chemicals and energy that life could originate.
5. Slime
If we had the opportunity to swim to the very depths of the Mariana Trench, we would feel that it is covered with a layer of viscous mucus. Sand, in its usual form, does not exist there. The bottom of the depression is mainly composed of crushed shells and plankton remains that have sunk to the bottom for many years. Due to the incredible pressure of the water, almost everything there turns into fine greyish-yellow thick mud.
6. Liquid sulfur
The Daikoku Volcano, which is located at a depth of about 414 meters on the way to the Mariana Trench, is the source of one of the rarest phenomena on our planet. There is a lake of pure molten sulfur. The only place where liquid sulfur can be found is Jupiter's moon Io.
In this pit, called the "cauldron," the bubbling black emulsion boils at 187 degrees Celsius. Although scientists have not been able to explore this place in detail, it is possible that even more liquid sulfur is contained deeper. This may reveal the secret of the origin of life on Earth.
According to the Gaia hypothesis, our planet is one self-governing organism in which all living and non-living things are connected to support its life. If this hypothesis is correct, then a number of signals can be observed in the natural cycles and systems of the Earth. So the sulfur compounds created by organisms in the ocean must be stable enough in the water to allow them to pass into the air and back to land again.
7. Bridges
At the end of 2011, four stone bridges were discovered in the Mariana Trench, which stretched from one end to the other for 69 km. They appear to have formed at the junction of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates.
One of the Dutton Ridge bridges, which was opened back in the 1980s, turned out to be incredibly high, like a small mountain. At its highest point, the ridge reaches 2.5 km above the "Challenger Deep". Like many aspects of the Mariana Trench, the purpose of these bridges remains unclear. However, the very fact that these formations were discovered in one of the most mysterious and unexplored places is amazing.
8James Cameron's dive into the Mariana Trench
Since the discovery of the deepest part of the Mariana Trench, the Challenger Deep in 1875, only three people have been here. The first were American lieutenant Don Walsh and explorer Jacques Picard, who dived on January 23, 1960 on the Challenger.
After 52 years, another person ventured here - the famous film director James Cameron. So on March 26, 2012, Cameron went down to the bottom and took some photos. During James Cameron's 2012 dive to the Challenger Abyss in the DeepSea Challenge submersible, he tried to observe everything that was going on in the place until mechanical problems forced him to rise to the surface.
While he was at the deepest point in the world's oceans, he came to the shocking conclusion that he was completely alone. There were no scary sea monsters or any miracles in the Mariana Trench. According to Cameron, the very bottom of the ocean was "lunar...empty...lonely" and he felt "completely isolated from all mankind".
9. Mariana Trench
10. The Mariana Trench in the ocean is the largest reserve
The Mariana Trench is a US National Monument and the largest marine reserve in the world. Since it is a monument, there are a number of rules for those who want to visit this place. Within its borders, fishing and mining are strictly prohibited here. However, swimming is allowed here, so you might be the next one to venture into the deepest place in the ocean.
The ocean is much closer to us than the planets of the solar system. However, its bottom has been studied only by 5 percent. And how many more secrets do the waters of the oceans keep? This is the greatest mystery of our planet.
Max Depth
The Mariana Trench, or otherwise the Mariana Trench, is the deepest place in the world's oceans. Amazing creatures live here and there is practically no light. However, this is the most famous place, which is still not fully understood and is fraught with many unsolved mysteries.
Diving into the Mariana Trench is a real suicide. After all, the water pressure here is thousands of times higher than the pressure at sea level. The maximum depth of the world's oceans is approximately 10,994 meters with an error of 40 meters. However, there are daredevils who descended to the very bottom, risking their own lives. Of course, this was not without modern technology.
Where is the deepest place in the oceans
The Mariana Trench is located in the region, and to be more precise, in its western part, closer to the east, near Guam, about 200 kilometers from the deepest place in the world's oceans, it resembles a crescent-shaped trench in shape. The depression is approximately 69 kilometers wide and 2,550 kilometers long.
Mariana Trench coordinates: East longitude - 142°35', North latitude - 11°22'.
bottom temperature
Scientists have suggested that at the maximum depth there should be a very low temperature. However, they were very surprised by the fact that at the bottom of the Mariana Trench this indicator remains above zero and is 1 - 4 ° C. Soon this phenomenon was found and an explanation.
Hydrothermal springs are located approximately at a depth of 1600 meters from the surface of the water. They are also called "white smokers". Jets come out of the sources very hot water. Its temperature is 450° Celsius.
It is worth noting that this water contains a huge amount of minerals. Exactly these chemical elements and support life at great depths. Despite such a high temperature, which is several times higher than the boiling point, the water does not boil here. And this is due to the relatively high pressure. At this depth, this figure is 155 times higher than at the surface.
As you can see, the deepest places in the oceans are not so simple. There are still many mysteries hidden in them that need to be unraveled.
Who lives at such a depth
Many people think that the deepest place in the world's oceans is an abyss where life cannot exist. However, this is not the case. At the very bottom of the Mariana Trench, scientists have discovered very large amoebas, which are called xenophyophores. Their body length is 10 centimeters. These are very large unicellular organisms.
Scientists suggest that this type of amoeba has acquired such dimensions due to the environment in which they have to exist. It is worth noting that these single-celled creatures were found at a depth of 10.6 kilometers. Many factors influenced their development. This is the lack of sunlight, and rather high pressure, and, of course, cold water.
In addition, xenophyophores have simply unique abilities. Amoebas tolerate exposure to many chemicals and elements, including lead, mercury and uranium.
shellfish
The pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench is very high. In such conditions, even creatures with bones or a shell have no chance to survive. However, not so long ago, mollusks were found in the Mariana Trench. They live near hydrothermal springs, because serpentine contains methane and hydrogen. These substances allow a living organism to fully form.
It is still not known how mollusks manage to keep their shells in such conditions. In addition, hydrothermal springs release another gas - hydrogen sulfide. And he, as you know, is fatal to any mollusks.
Liquid carbon dioxide in its purest form
The Mariana Trench is a deep place in the oceans, as well as wonderful world with many unexplained phenomena. There are hydrothermal vents located near Taiwan, outside the Okinawa Trench. This is the only underwater area known to this moment where liquid carbon dioxide is present. This place was discovered back in 2005.
Many scientists believe that it was these sources that allowed life to originate in the Mariana Trench. After all, here not only optimum temperature but there are also chemicals present.
Finally
The deepest places in the oceans simply amaze with the extraordinary nature of their world. Here you can meet living organisms that feel great in complete darkness and with high pressure and cannot exist in any other environment.
It is worth noting that the Mariana Trench has the status of a national monument of the United States. This marine reserve is the largest in the world. Of course, for those who want to visit here, there is a certain list of rules. Mining and fishing is strictly prohibited in this place.
