Essential Question.

• Bathymetry: what is it (define the word)? What’s the difference between a bathymetric map and a topographic map

Bathymetry is the measurement of the depth of water in oceans, rivers, or lakes. The difference between a bathymetric map and a topographic map is that bathymetric maps connect points of equal depth and topographic map, the lines connect points of equalelevation.

• How did Oceanographers map the ocean floor in the past, and what were the results?

In the past, scientists would conduct bathymetric measurements by throwing a heavy rope over the side of a ship and recording the length of rope it took to reach the seafloor. To get a clear picture of the seafloor, scientists would have had to take thousands of rope measurements. 

• How do oceanographers map the oceans now, and how accurate and effective is this method?

Now, oceanographers map the oceans use  echo sounders to make bathymetric measurements. An echo sounder sends out a sound pulse from a ship’s hull, or bottom, to the ocean floor. An echo sounder is able to measure a small area of the seafloor. However, the accuracy of these measurements is still limited. 

• Why are multibeam echo sounders so effective?

Multibeam echo sounders are so effective because they can also provide information about the physical characteristics of a seafloor feature.

• What’s an example of an underwater discovery that was made possible by multibeam echo sounders?

For example, thousands of seamounts were discovered in the central Pacific Ocean, near the U.S. state of Hawaii.

• Why do oceanographers map the oceans below the surface? Why is this important to society?

Because their bathymetric measurements support safe navigation and protect marine environments around the globe. 

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