Why Are We Not Exploring The Ocean Any More?
The bottom of the ocean is a mysterious, uncharted part of the world. Although the ocean covers 70% of the Earth, we have only explored 5% of the seafloor. If we can explore space, though, why have we not explored any more of the ocean? The answer is actually quite simple when you look at the top 3 reasons holding us back.
Deep Sea Trenches
The most popular and mysterious parts of the ocean that complicate exploration are deep sea trenches. You have probably heard of the famous Marianas Trench, but there are plenty of other notable deep sea chasms. The majority occur in the volcanic “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific ocean, such as the Japan and Philippine trenches. Deep sea trenches are common in the Pacific because of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is when one of the Earth’s tectonic plates sinks beneath another, and the Pacific really likes to move.
The reason these trenches are so difficult to explore is tied to the way the seafloor is laid out. Most of the ocean, about 83%, is part of the “abyssopelagic” zone. This is the depth of the ocean between 13,000ft and 20,000ft deep, where light cannot reach. Without light, plants cannot survive and photosynthesize oxygen for the surrounding waters. Without oxygen, there are few organisms that can survive in these depths, meaning fewer reasons for scientists to explore.
Deep Sea Trenches, though, are even deeper. 20,000ft and below is called the “hadal” zone, a zone that was defined to refer to trench-related depths. The water pressure in the hadal zone begins at a crushing 13,230psi - 900 times higher than at the surface. Only incredibly well engineered, and incredibly expensive, submarines can travel this deep, let alone roam the ocean floor freely.
Despite these challenges, the Mariana Trench has been visited 29 times. This is partially due to its popularity, though, similar to the concept of climbing Mount Everest. The Philippine Trench, despite being the third deepest point in the ocean, was first visited in 2021. That is 61 years after the first visit to the bottom of the Mariana Trench!
Even though the Mariana Trench is so popular, we have only seen a small fraction of it. The Trench covers a massive 95,000 square miles, with multiple basins and ridges making exploration difficult. Even in the 29 descents, we have not even scratched the surface - or floor, in this case.
Deep Sea Coral Reefs
When exploring the ocean, a prime focus is to try and discover new species of flora or fauna. In contrast to the mostly barren abyssopelagic zone, coral reefs are home to nearly a quarter of all ocean species. Most reefs are found in warm, sunny, tropical locations that scientists would love to explore, but others live much deeper. Deep sea reefs, also called cold water reefs, are a little more difficult to reach. Many of these reefs, such as Greenland’s coral reef, have only been discovered in the last couple decades.
These deep sea reefs evolved differently than their tropical warm water cousins. Tropical coral gets nutrients from the algae around it, photosynthesizing everything the coral needs. In contrast, deep sea reefs evolved in a “twilight zone” and could not rely as heavily on the sun. This led to deep sea coral evolving in a sprawling, feather-like way in order to filter feed on organic matter. The organic matter is brought to the deep coral by oceanic currents, helping it survive in the deep, dim areas.
Though not as deep as oceanic trenches, these deep sea reefs have their own ways to complicate exploration. Deep sea reefs are more fragile than tropical reefs, and grow at a much slower pace. Any disturbances from research vessels could pose a threat that could take decades, or even millenia, to recover from. Additionally, some reefs, like the Greenland reef, are in areas with strong ocean currents. Though we are continuing to discover new deep sea reefs, exploring these reefs in detail often proves especially difficult.
Areas That Are Too Distant
Another major challenge with exploring the oceans is the problem of getting equipment out to the right spots. Coastlines and inlets are relatively close but the ocean is much less accessible. For instance, Point Nemo, a location in the Pacific Ocean, is considered a “pole of inaccessibility”. It is famous for being, at times, closer to the International Space Station than to any dry land. This has even led to it frequently being used as a “spacecraft cemetery”, as no major shipping routes cross it. It is so remote that when satellites, worth millions of dollars, crash into this area it’s cheaper to abandon them. It has even been designated as the final resting place for its closest friend - the ISS itself!
This highlights a major challenge when exploring much of the ocean; the financial cost of exploring. To receive funding for a research expedition, scientists need a reason to be exploring. Usually this comes from the promise of discovering new species, collecting new data on known species, or monitoring environmental changes. This means the exploration is also localized to smaller areas, not the open ocean. Without funding, perusing the ocean floor and it’s 85% of empty, abyssopelagic zone is impossible.
Will We Ever Explore More of the Ocean?
The statistic that we’ve only explored 5% of the ocean, while true, can be a little misleading. This 5% estimate relates to how much we have surveyed, or explored in depth. Meanwhile, 23% has been mapped, albeit with technology that is a little less accurate such as sonar. For instance, the entire Mariana Trench has been mapped out with sonar to a 100m resolution. This means that on a digital map, the highest definition is 100 square meters per pixel. Something as big as an ocean requires technology on a larger scale, though. This is where geodesy comes in.
Geodesy, in short, is the study of Earth’s precise shape and gravitational field. This is done by using tools such as GPS and gravimeters - machines that measure gravitational pull. While at sea, special marine gravimeters can help scientists map the shape of the ocean floor. While not as precise, the generalized results of these findings can help identify points of interest for further scientific studies.
Will We Ever Explore The Ocean Floor Up Close?
Just because it is expensive to physically see and explore the ocean floor does not mean nobody will do it. A US-based company, OceanX, has gained popularity in the last 10 years when it comes to oceanic exploration. Instead of using sonar and geodesy, OceanX is focused on making it financially viable to make a habit of diving.
While initially funded by nonprofit philanthropist Ray Dalio, OceanX is attempting to turn oceanic exploration into entertainment. OceanX has always been focused on diving in order to collect footage for media, like BBC Earth’s Blue Planet II. More recently, OceanX purchased and outfitted their OceanXplorer ship as a research vessel and a “Hollywood-calibur media production studio”. This will ultimately allow them to find numerous dives for exploration, so long as viewership numbers stay up.
At this time, OceanX has been able to conduct 1,686 dives, either by manned submarine or by remote vehicle. They have also mapped out over 100,000 square kilometers, or 38,600 square miles.
While many uncertainties remain in the ocean, from lost planes to undiscovered species, we probably are not missing much. Scientific research will continue to explore the bottom of the ocean, but odds are low for any major breakthroughs. That is, until something turns up at one of Earth’s 12 Vile Vortices.
