Topography Of The Ocean Floor Definition

As scientific knowledge has advanced the capability to envisage these remote sites has increased significantly.

Topography of the ocean floor definition.

The ocean floor is literally the floor of the ocean. The main purpose of measuring ocean surface topography is to understand. Ocean floor topography refers to the different forms in which the ocean floor bottom can exist. Topography of the ocean floor from the late 19th century when the norwegian explorer fridtjof nansen first discovered an ocean in the central arctic until the middle of the 20th century it was believed that the arctic ocean was a single large basin.

The vertical exaggeration is approximately 200 times. Explorations after 1950 revealed the true complex nature of the ocean floor. Ocean floor map the second transitional zone was formed at the junction of continental blocks and oceanic platforms. It is the bottom of the ocean when you dive.

Figure pageindex 2 the generalized topography of the pacific ocean sea floor between japan and british columbia. Topography studies the elevation and location of landforms. How does the ocean floor look like. Chapter 14 the ocean floor pdf free atlantic ocean floor topography lab diagram of the ocean floor seafloor topography grade 9 free printable tests and modelling the ocean floor lab.

Map showing the underwater topography of the ocean floor. Ocean surface topography or sea surface topography also called ocean dynamic topography are highs and lows on the ocean surface similar to the hills and valleys of earth s land surface depicted on a topographic map these variations are expressed in terms of average sea surface height ssh relative to the earth s geoid. The ocean floor is almost entirely underlain by mafic oceanic crust mostly basalt and gabbro as described in more detail below while the continental slopes are underlain by felsic continental crust mostly granitic and. Plate tectonics and the ocean floor bathymetry the shape of the ocean floor is largely a result of a process called plate tectonics.

The outer rocky layer of the earth includes about a dozen large sections called tectonic plates that are arranged like a spherical jig saw puzzle floating on top of the earth s hot flowing mantle. Examples include mountains hills valleys lakes oceans rivers cities dams and roads. It consists of basins of the marginal seas chains of predominantly volcanic islands in the form of arcs and narrow linear basins deep sea trenches which coincide with deep faults extending beneath the mainland. Like land terrain the ocean floor has ridges valleys plains and volcanoes.

The seabed also known as the seafloor sea floor or ocean floor is the bottom of the ocean no matter how deep. You may perceive the ocean floor to be flat and sandy like the beach but the truth is there are many different surfaces. Ocean floor topography worksheet answers.