GEOSC 010 Chapter 13: Divergent Boundaries_ Origin and Evolution of the Ocean Floor
Document Summary
Chapter 13 divergent boundaries: origin and evolution of the ocean floor. 13. 1 an emerging picture of the ocean floor: the ocean floor is as topographically unique as the continents. Measuring the seafloor started in the late 1800"s by measuring the depth of the ocean by lowering weighted lines while at sea. This was notably done by the hms challenger in 1875. The deepest spot in the ocean, challenger deep, is named after that ship: today, the topography of the ocean floor is called bathymetry ( depth measurement ). Modern techniques use sonar, sound waves projected into the water, to map the ocean bed. The sonar works by reading the changes in the sound waves that echo back compared to the original broadcast. Sonar technology has improved in resolution and effective distance through the years. Modern equipment can measure a swath of ocean floor 10 km wide, accurate to only 1 meter.
