Scientists “See” Ocean Floor via Sonar | National Geographic

for the most part we don’t know what

for the most part we don’t know what lies beneath the surface of our oceans

lies beneath the surface of our oceans

lies beneath the surface of our oceans most of the waters and ocean floor

most of the waters and ocean floor

most of the waters and ocean floor remain unexplored but with new

remain unexplored but with new

remain unexplored but with new technology projects are underway to find

technology projects are underway to find

technology projects are underway to find out what lies in the deep since 2004 a

out what lies in the deep since 2004 a

out what lies in the deep since 2004 a team of scientists has been cruising the

team of scientists has been cruising the

team of scientists has been cruising the Caribbean surrounding Puerto Rico as

Caribbean surrounding Puerto Rico as

Caribbean surrounding Puerto Rico as well as st. Thomas and st. John islands

well as st. Thomas and st. John islands

well as st. Thomas and st. John islands in the US Virgin Islands to create a

in the US Virgin Islands to create a

in the US Virgin Islands to create a comprehensive map of the seabed NOAA the

comprehensive map of the seabed NOAA the

comprehensive map of the seabed NOAA the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the u.s. agency in

Administration is the u.s. agency in

Administration is the u.s. agency in charge of mapping protecting and

charge of mapping protecting and

charge of mapping protecting and managing some of these waters they’re

managing some of these waters they’re

managing some of these waters they’re updating old nautical charts so a

updating old nautical charts so a

updating old nautical charts so a nautical chart has soundings on it just

nautical chart has soundings on it just

nautical chart has soundings on it just you know discrete locations but our map

you know discrete locations but our map

you know discrete locations but our map is continuous we can see the ups and

is continuous we can see the ups and

is continuous we can see the ups and downs the the ridges the ledges of the

downs the the ridges the ledges of the

downs the the ridges the ledges of the sea bottom and all of that is important

sea bottom and all of that is important

sea bottom and all of that is important information for our manager as well as

information for our manager as well as

information for our manager as well as to make the linkages between the

to make the linkages between the

to make the linkages between the seafloor habitats and the types of

seafloor habitats and the types of

seafloor habitats and the types of organisms that are using that the waters

organisms that are using that the waters

organisms that are using that the waters off the coast of st. Thomas and st. John

off the coast of st. Thomas and st. John

off the coast of st. Thomas and st. John have important habitats including coral

have important habitats including coral

have important habitats including coral reefs the waters have protected areas as

reefs the waters have protected areas as

reefs the waters have protected areas as well as areas where commercial fishing

well as areas where commercial fishing

well as areas where commercial fishing is allowed each year the NOAA Ship Nancy

is allowed each year the NOAA Ship Nancy

is allowed each year the NOAA Ship Nancy foster zigzags through the water using

foster zigzags through the water using

foster zigzags through the water using sonar to scan the seabed the ship emits

sonar to scan the seabed the ship emits

sonar to scan the seabed the ship emits more than 3,500 pings per second in a

more than 3,500 pings per second in a

more than 3,500 pings per second in a wide fan creating an image as if

wide fan creating an image as if

wide fan creating an image as if painting strips of data across the

painting strips of data across the

painting strips of data across the seafloor weeks of back-and-forth sailing

seafloor weeks of back-and-forth sailing

seafloor weeks of back-and-forth sailing in a pattern much like mowing a lawn

in a pattern much like mowing a lawn

in a pattern much like mowing a lawn yield traditional chart information

yield traditional chart information

yield traditional chart information including bathymetry or depth an

including bathymetry or depth an

including bathymetry or depth an incredible detail but the sonar data

incredible detail but the sonar data

incredible detail but the sonar data reveals a lot more than depth based on

reveals a lot more than depth based on

reveals a lot more than depth based on the intensity of the echo scientists can

the intensity of the echo scientists can

the intensity of the echo scientists can tell if the bottom is hard sandy soft

tell if the bottom is hard sandy soft

tell if the bottom is hard sandy soft covered in coral sea grass or other soft

covered in coral sea grass or other soft

covered in coral sea grass or other soft plants by combining the sonar data with

plants by combining the sonar data with

plants by combining the sonar data with direct observations NOAA creates

direct observations NOAA creates

direct observations NOAA creates detailed maps of the seafloor habitat

the ROV is a key to understanding the

the ROV is a key to understanding the sonar data operated by scientists on the

sonar data operated by scientists on the

sonar data operated by scientists on the ship it sends back video and still

ship it sends back video and still

ship it sends back video and still images then the sonar data can be

images then the sonar data can be

images then the sonar data can be combined with the visual data the

combined with the visual data the

combined with the visual data the researchers are looking for several

researchers are looking for several

researchers are looking for several answers to questions why are fish going

answers to questions why are fish going

answers to questions why are fish going to a certain location are there

to a certain location are there

to a certain location are there behaviors that are going on are there

behaviors that are going on are there

behaviors that are going on are there certain types of fish that are going

certain types of fish that are going

certain types of fish that are going there so they’re kind of a very focused

there so they’re kind of a very focused

there so they’re kind of a very focused science application and then there

science application and then there

science application and then there there’s other science that we conduct

there’s other science that we conduct

there’s other science that we conduct which is applied towards a management

which is applied towards a management

which is applied towards a management community to effectively manage

community to effectively manage

community to effectively manage commercial fish species and protect

commercial fish species and protect

commercial fish species and protect non-commercial sea life officials need

non-commercial sea life officials need

non-commercial sea life officials need to know the size of fish populations

to know the size of fish populations

to know the size of fish populations where they are and their overall health

where they are and their overall health

where they are and their overall health the ship is equipped with what is

the ship is equipped with what is

the ship is equipped with what is basically a scientific grade fish finder

basically a scientific grade fish finder

basically a scientific grade fish finder the technology that I’m using is very

the technology that I’m using is very

the technology that I’m using is very similar to commercial fish finders or

similar to commercial fish finders or

similar to commercial fish finders or the fish finders that your grandpa might

the fish finders that your grandpa might

the fish finders that your grandpa might have on his fishing boat on a lake

have on his fishing boat on a lake

have on his fishing boat on a lake except these are scientifically echo

except these are scientifically echo

except these are scientifically echo Sounders we transmit a pulse of sound or

Sounders we transmit a pulse of sound or

Sounders we transmit a pulse of sound or a ping that ping is transmitted through

a ping that ping is transmitted through

a ping that ping is transmitted through the water column and it reflects off of

the water column and it reflects off of

the water column and it reflects off of anything that’s in the water column

anything that’s in the water column

anything that’s in the water column that’s a different density than the

that’s a different density than the

that’s a different density than the surrounding media that could be the

surrounding media that could be the

surrounding media that could be the bottom which is very hard it could be

bottom which is very hard it could be

bottom which is very hard it could be air bubbles that’s produced by waiks

air bubbles that’s produced by waiks

air bubbles that’s produced by waiks waves or boats or it could be gas

waves or boats or it could be gas

waves or boats or it could be gas bladders or swim bladders in case of

bladders or swim bladders in case of

bladders or swim bladders in case of fish each night as the ship sails back

fish each night as the ship sails back

fish each night as the ship sails back and forth off land Taylor’s sonar spots

and forth off land Taylor’s sonar spots

and forth off land Taylor’s sonar spots the fish and adds important information

the fish and adds important information

the fish and adds important information to the maps the habitats are very

to the maps the habitats are very

to the maps the habitats are very important clearly but we need to better

important clearly but we need to better

important clearly but we need to better understand how fish are using those

understand how fish are using those

understand how fish are using those habitats so we can better understand how

habitats so we can better understand how

habitats so we can better understand how to manage the ab test for the fish after

to manage the ab test for the fish after

to manage the ab test for the fish after the sonar runs all night attention turns

the sonar runs all night attention turns

the sonar runs all night attention turns to the ROV Brian Costa uses sonar to

to the ROV Brian Costa uses sonar to

to the ROV Brian Costa uses sonar to pick locations for the ROV to explore

pick locations for the ROV to explore

pick locations for the ROV to explore it’s just one of the tools in our

it’s just one of the tools in our

it’s just one of the tools in our toolbox to create a how-to 10 map we can

toolbox to create a how-to 10 map we can

toolbox to create a how-to 10 map we can get a picture of what’s down there in

get a picture of what’s down there in

get a picture of what’s down there in the image but we don’t necessarily know

the image but we don’t necessarily know

the image but we don’t necessarily know what is growing on top of that that

what is growing on top of that that

what is growing on top of that that restructure or what it’s made out of so

restructure or what it’s made out of so

restructure or what it’s made out of so that’s where the camera comes in

that’s where the camera comes in

that’s where the camera comes in as researchers pilot the ROV deep under

as researchers pilot the ROV deep under

as researchers pilot the ROV deep under the sea scientists note the health of

the sea scientists note the health of

the sea scientists note the health of the coral types of fish including the

the coral types of fish including the

the coral types of fish including the invasive lionfish and inspect man-made

invasive lionfish and inspect man-made

invasive lionfish and inspect man-made debris including lost fishing gear and

debris including lost fishing gear and

debris including lost fishing gear and even newly found shipwrecks all of this

even newly found shipwrecks all of this

even newly found shipwrecks all of this data will help scientists better

data will help scientists better

data will help scientists better understand the reefs here and offer

understand the reefs here and offer

understand the reefs here and offer insights into ocean changes elsewhere

insights into ocean changes elsewhere

insights into ocean changes elsewhere one of the most important things about

one of the most important things about

one of the most important things about the work we’re doing is we’re

the work we’re doing is we’re

the work we’re doing is we’re characterizing coral reefs that have

characterizing coral reefs that have

characterizing coral reefs that have never been observed before so we’re

never been observed before so we’re

never been observed before so we’re visiting newer is and getting that

visiting newer is and getting that

visiting newer is and getting that baseline of the the health and condition

baseline of the the health and condition

baseline of the the health and condition and the extent of the coral reefs the

and the extent of the coral reefs the

and the extent of the coral reefs the NOAA scientists hope eventually to

NOAA scientists hope eventually to

NOAA scientists hope eventually to develop their techniques further so

develop their techniques further so

develop their techniques further so scientists can someday have maps of all

scientists can someday have maps of all

scientists can someday have maps of all the world’s sea beds