The deepest place of the ocean

American scientists have drawn the deepest area map in the ocean, more detailed than the previous maps. It is the Mariana basin in the western Pacific Ocean, about 2500km long and 10.994m deep.

According to the BBC , the measurement of the deepest accuracy of this area, called Challenger Deep , is still a controversial issue.

The mapping was done and completed by the center of the ocean and coast map, or CCOM , to help accurately identify US waters in this area.

Dr. Jim Gardner of CCOM, at the University of New Hampshire told the BBC : We have painted the entire Mariana region. We use multi-beam echo depth meters mounted on US naval vessels. This device allows us to draw feedback sounds perpendicular to the train's running track. This is like cutting grass. And we were able to draw this area exactly to 100 meters.

One place 200 meters away from Challenger Deep to the east is HMRG Deep, which also has a depth of nearly 10809 meters.

It is special to think that both Challenger and HMRG Deep in the sea have a height higher than the height of the land top.

The US Department of Defense funded the study because they wanted to know whether Guam and the northern Mariana Islands in the U.S. privileged economic region could expand further to the current 370km. This is possible if the shape of the seabed meets the criteria of the UN law of the sea law.

This data also makes scientists very interested because it shows the structural images of one of the most enchanting underwater submerged tectonic plates on earth. Researchers are keen to know what happens when the undersea mountains approach the mouth and are swallowed by it.

There has been a huge debate about whether underwater mountains drift down to the abyss that affect the frequency and extent of strong earthquakes. The data from the map shows that they can create more sudden collisions that cause strong vibrations.

Dr Gardner said the lower mountains would burst when they drifted down. As soon as the Pacific tectonic plate begins to bend down, it will break very, very old rocky soil layers which are very fragile. Certainly in the Mariana area, those mountains will break into pieces and reduce in size.

This survey is a hot topic because there are four expedition groups about to send manned submarines to this area to explore its depth.

Until now only 2 people are able to reach Challenger Deep. They were Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard in the 1960 Trieste diving ship.

The groups are racing to return to Challenger Deep's deepest submarine Virgin, piloted by Chris Welsh; Triton is parked in Florida; and ship DOER, supported by Eric Schmidt of Google and Sylvia Earle oceanographer.

High resolution maps of the Mariana area can inspire further exploration of the rest of the sea. At least we should have a map showing a part of the earth we live in.