The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, and its depths are still largely unexplored. The ocean’s deepest point, the Challenger Deep, is located in the Mariana Trench. However, not many people know that the Challenger Deep is accessible to humans. This article will explore the deepest point on Earth that’s accessible and the technology used to explore it.
The Mariana Trench
The Mariana Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean and is the deepest part of the world’s oceans. The trench is approximately 2,550 kilometers long and 69 kilometers wide, with a maximum depth of 10,994 meters. The trench is named after the Mariana Islands, which are located near the trench.
Challenger Deep: The Deepest Point
The Challenger Deep is the deepest point in the Mariana Trench and in the world’s oceans. It is named after the HMS Challenger, which conducted the first scientific survey of the trench in 1875. The Challenger Deep is located about 200 kilometers southwest of Guam and has a depth of approximately 10,925 meters.
How Deep is Challenger Deep?
To put the depth of the Challenger Deep into perspective, it is deeper than Mount Everest is tall. The pressure at the bottom of the trench is over 1,000 times greater than the pressure at sea level, and the temperature is just above freezing. These extreme conditions make it difficult for humans to explore the Challenger Deep.
Exploring Challenger Deep
Only a handful of people have ever been to the bottom of the Challenger Deep. The first person to reach the bottom was Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh in 1960. Since then, there have been a few other expeditions to the Challenger Deep, but they are few and far between due to the high cost and complexity of such expeditions.
Submersibles Used for Exploration
To explore the Challenger Deep, researchers use submersibles, which are underwater vehicles designed to withstand the extreme pressure and temperature of the deep ocean. Some of the submersibles used for exploring the Challenger Deep include the Deepsea Challenger, the Trieste, and the Shinkai 6500.
Discoveries Made in Challenger Deep
The Challenger Deep is home to a variety of unique and fascinating creatures, including giant amphipods, sea cucumbers, and jellyfish. Researchers have also discovered new species of bacteria and other microorganisms that are adapted to survive in the extreme conditions of the deep ocean.
Other Deep Points on Earth
While the Challenger Deep is the deepest point in the world’s oceans, there are other deep points on Earth. For example, the Eurasia Basin in the Arctic Ocean has a maximum depth of approximately 5,500 meters, and the South Sandwich Trench in the southern Atlantic Ocean has a maximum depth of approximately 8,428 meters.
Kola Superdeep Borehole
The Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest artificial point on Earth, reaching a depth of approximately 12,262 meters. However, it is not accessible to humans and is located on land in Russia. The borehole was drilled in the 1970s and 1980s to study the Earth’s crust.
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, is the largest marine oil spill in history. The spill occurred at a depth of approximately 1,500 meters and caused widespread environmental damage.
Conclusion
The Challenger Deep is the deepest point on Earth that’s accessible to humans, but exploring it is a complex and expensive endeavor. Nevertheless, the discoveries made in the Challenger Deep can provide valuable insights into the Earth’s geology and the evolution of life on our planet.
Future of Deep Sea Exploration
As technology advances, it is likely that we will continue to explore the depths of the ocean and make new discoveries. This will require continued investment in research and development of submersibles and other technologies that can withstand the extreme conditions of the deep ocean. Ultimately, deep sea exploration can provide valuable knowledge and resources for our planet.
