Despite the fact that humanity has stepped far forward, there appeared a large number of technology that allows us to accomplish the seemingly impossible, there are such corners of the Earth where it is almost impossible to get. Thanks to this, pristine nature, untouched by man, has been preserved in such corners.
Mariana Trench (or Mariana Trench) - oceanic deep-sea trench in the west The Pacific, the deepest known on Earth. Named for the nearby Mariana Islands.
The deepest point of the Mariana Trench is the Challenger Abyss. It is located in the southwestern part of the depression, 340 km southwest of the island of Guam (point coordinates: 11 ° 22 ′ N 142 ° 35 ′ E (G) (O)). According to measurements in 2011, its depth is 10,994 ± 40 m below sea level.
The Mariana Trench is the most deep place on our planet. I think almost everyone has heard about it or studied at school, but I myself, for example, have long forgotten both its depth and the facts about how it was measured and studied. So I decided to “refresh” my and your memory
The entire depression stretches along the islands for one and a half thousand kilometers and has a characteristic V-shaped profile. In fact, this is an ordinary tectonic fault, the place where the Pacific Plate goes under the Philippine, just the Mariana Trench is the deepest place of this kind) Its slopes are steep, on average, about 7-9 °, and the bottom is flat, 1 to 5 kilometers wide , and divided by rapids into several closed sections. The pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench reaches 108.6 MPa - more than 1,100 times the normal atmospheric pressure!
Snapshot from space 
The first to dare to challenge the abyss were the British - the military three-masted corvette "Challenger" with sailing equipment was rebuilt into an oceanographic vessel for hydrological, geological, chemical, biological and meteorological work in 1872. But the first data on the depth of the Mariana Trench was obtained only in 1951 - according to the measurements, the depth of the depression was declared equal to 10 863 m. After that, the deepest point of the Mariana Trench was called the “Challenger Deep”. It is hard to imagine that in the depths of the Mariana Trench the highest mountain of our planet - Everest will easily fit, and more than a kilometer of water will remain above it to the surface ... Of course, it will fit not in area, but exclusively in height, but the numbers are still amazing ...
The device recording sounds began to transmit noises to the surface, reminiscent of the grinding of saw teeth on metal. At the same time, obscure shadows appeared on the TV monitor, similar to giant fairy dragons. These creatures had several heads and tails.
An hour later, the scientists of the American research vessel "Glomar Challenger" were worried that the unique apparatus made of super-strong titanium-cobalt steel beams in the NASA laboratory and having a spherical structure, the so-called "hedgehog" with a diameter of about 9 m, could remain in the abyss forever.
It was decided to pick it up immediately. The "hedgehog" was retrieved from the depths for more than eight hours. As soon as he appeared on the surface, he was immediately put on a special raft. The camera and the echo sounder were lifted to the deck of the Glomar Challenger. It turned out that the strongest steel beams of the structure were deformed, and the 20-centimeter steel cable, on which it was lowered, was half-sawn. Who tried to leave the "hedgehog" at depth and why is an absolute mystery. The details of this interesting experiment, conducted by American oceanologists in the Mariana Trench, were published in 1996 by the New York Times (USA)
Research vessel "Vityaz"
Soviet scientists were also researchers of the Mariana Trench - in 1957, during the 25th voyage of the Soviet research vessel Vityaz, they not only declared the maximum depth of the depression equal to 11,022 meters, but also established the presence of life at depths of more than 7,000 meters, thereby refuting the then prevailing notion about the impossibility of life at depths of more than 6000-7000 meters. In 1992 "Knight" was transferred to the newly formed Museum of the World Ocean. The ship was repaired at the shipyard for two years, and on July 12, 1994, it moored forever at the museum pier in the very center of Kaliningrad.
According to the results of measurements carried out in 1957 during the 25th voyage of the Soviet research vessel "Vityaz" (headed by Aleksey Dmitrievich Dobrovolsky), the maximum depth of the trough was 11023 m (updated data, the depth was originally reported as 11034 m). in the fact that the speed of sound in water depends on its properties, which are different at different depths, therefore, these properties must also be determined at several horizons with special instruments (such as a bathometer and a thermometer), and a correction has been made to the depth value shown by the echo sounder Research in 1995 showed that it is about 10,920 m, and research in 2009 - that 10,971 m. The latest research in 2011 gives a value of 10,994 m with an accuracy of ± 40 m
Single apparatus Deepsea Challenger
It should be noted that the latest research carried out by the American Oceanographic Expedition from the University of New Hampshire (USA) found real mountains on the surface of the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The research took place from August to October 2010, when a seabed area of 400,000 square kilometers was studied in detail using a multibeam echo sounder. As a result, at least 4 oceanic mountain ranges with a height of 2.5 kilometers were discovered, crossing the surface of the Mariana Trench at the junction of the Pacific and Philippine lithospheric plates.
One of the researchers commented: “At this place geological structure oceanic crust is very complex ... These ridges were formed about 180 million years ago in the process constant movement lithospheric plates. Over the course of millions of years, the marginal part of the Pacific plate gradually “creeps up” under the Philippine plate, as it is older and “heavier” ... In the course of this process, folding is formed. "
Dives
So, a person could never resist the desire to explore the unknown, and the rapidly developing world of technical progress allows you to penetrate deeper into the secret world of the most inhospitable and rebellious environment in the world - the World Ocean. There will be enough subjects for research in the Mariana Trench for many more years, given that the most inaccessible and mysterious point of our planet, unlike Everest (altitude 8848 m above sea level), was conquered only once.
So, on January 23, 1960, US naval officer Don Walsh and Swiss explorer Jacques Picard, protected by armored 12-centimeter thick walls of a bathyscaphe called "Trieste", managed to descend to a depth of 10,915 meters. Despite the fact that scientists have taken a huge step in the study of the Mariana Trench, the questions have not diminished, new mysteries have emerged that have yet to be solved. And the ocean abyss knows how to keep its secrets. Will people be able to reveal them in the near future?
The first human dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench was made on January 23, 1960 by US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and explorer Jacques Picard on the Trieste bathyscaphe, designed by Jacques' father Auguste Picard. The instruments recorded a record depth of 11,521 meters (corrected value - 10,918 m). At the bottom, the researchers unexpectedly met flat fish up to 30 cm in size, similar to a flounder. During the dive, they were protected by armored, 127 mm thick, walls of a bathyscaphe called "Trieste"
The dive took about five hours, and the ascent took about three hours, the researchers stayed at the bottom for only 12 minutes. But even this time was enough for them to make a sensational discovery - at the bottom they found flat fish up to 30 cm in size, similar to a flounder!
The Japanese Kaiko probe, which was launched into the region of the maximum depth of the depression on March 24, 1995, recorded a depth of 10,911.4 meters In the silt samples taken by the probe, living organisms were found - foraminifers
On May 31, 2009, the automatic submarine Nereus sank to the bottom of the Mariana Trench (see Nereus, ancient Greek mythology). The device sank to a depth of 10902 meters, where it filmed a video, took several photographs, and also collected sediment samples at the bottom.
to the Mariana Trench
While he was in the deepest point of the world's oceans, he came to the shocking conclusion that he was completely alone. There were no scary sea monsters or miracles in the Mariana Trench. According to Cameron, the very bottom of the ocean was "lunar ... empty ... lonely," and he felt "complete isolation from all of humanity"
On March 26, 2012, director James Cameron became the third person in history to reach the deepest point in the oceans and the first to do it alone. Cameron dived in a single-seater Deepsea Challenger equipped with everything necessary for photo and video filming. Filming was carried out in 3D format, for this the bathyscaphe was equipped with special lighting equipment. Cameron reached the "Challenger Abyss" - a section of a depression at a depth of 10898 meters (accurate calculations show that the bathyscaphe reached a depth of 10908 meters, and not 10898 - the depth recorded by the device during the dive). He took samples of rocks, living organisms and filmed using 3D cameras. The footage filmed by the director formed the basis for the eponymous scientific documentary (2013) of the National Geographic Channel
Another encounter with the unexplained in the depths of the Mariana Trench happened with the German research vehicle "Highfish" with a crew on board. At a depth of 7 km, the vehicle suddenly stopped moving. To find out the cause of the malfunction, the hydronauts turned on the infrared camera ... What they saw in the next few seconds seemed to them a collective hallucination: a huge prehistoric lizard, gnawing its teeth into the bathyscaphe, tried to gnaw it like a nut. Recovering from the shock, the crew activated a device called an "electric cannon", and the monster, struck by a powerful discharge, disappeared into the abyss ...
Can living organisms live at such a huge depth, and how should they look, given that they are pressed by huge masses of oceanic waters, the pressure of which exceeds 1100 atmospheres? The difficulties associated with the study and comprehension of creatures that live in these unimaginable depths are enough, but human ingenuity knows no boundaries. For a long time, oceanologists considered it madness to hypothesize that life could exist at depths of more than 6,000 meters in impenetrable darkness, under monstrous pressure and at temperatures close to zero.
However, the results of research by scientists in the Pacific Ocean showed that in these depths, well below the 6,000-meter mark, there are huge colonies of living organisms pogonophora ((rogonophora; from the Greek pogon - beard and phoros - carrying), a type of marine invertebrates living in long chitinous tubes open at both ends). Recently, the veil of secrecy has been lifted by manned and automatic, made of heavy-duty materials, underwater vehicles equipped with video cameras. The result was the discovery of a rich animal community, made up of both well-known and less familiar marine groups.
Formation of the Mariana Trench.
The gutter stretched along Mariana Islands 1 500 km. It has a V-shaped profile: steep (7-9 °) slopes, a flat bottom 1-5 km wide, which is divided by rapids into several closed depressions. At the bottom, the water pressure reaches 108.6 MPa, which is about 1072 times higher than the normal atmospheric pressure at the level of the World Ocean. The depression is located at the junction of two tectonic plates, in the zone of movement along faults, where the Pacific Plate goes under the Philippine Plate.
Thus, at depths of 6000 - 11000 km, the following were found: - barophilic bacteria (developing only at high pressure), - of the protozoa - foraminifera (a group of protozoa of the subclass of rhizopods with a cytoplasmic body, dressed with a shell) and xenophyophores (barophilic bacteria from protozoa); - from multicellular organisms - polychaete worms, isopods, amphipods, holothurians, bivalves and gastropods.
At the depths there is no sunlight, no algae, constant salinity, low temperatures, abundance of carbon dioxide, enormous hydrostatic pressure (increases by 1 atmosphere for every 10 meters). What do the inhabitants of the abyss eat? The food sources of deep-seated animals are bacteria, as well as rain of "corpses" and organic detritus coming from above; deep animals are either blind or with highly developed eyes, often telescopic; many fish and cephalopods with photofluoroids; in other forms, the surface of the body or parts of it glows. Therefore, the appearance of these animals is as terrible and incredible as the conditions in which they live. Among them - a frightening-looking worms 1.5 meters long, without a mouth and anus, mutant octopuses, extraordinary starfish and some soft-bodied creatures two meters long, which have not yet been identified at all.
Descending to this depth, we expect it to be very cold there. The temperature here reaches slightly above zero, ranging from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius.
However, at a depth of about 1.6 km from the surface of the Pacific Ocean there are hydrothermal vents called "black smokers". They shoot water that heats up to 450 degrees Celsius.
This water is rich in minerals that help keep the area alive. Despite the temperature of the water, which is hundreds of degrees above its boiling point, it does not boil here due to the incredible pressure, 155 times higher than on the surface.
Giant toxic amoeba
A few years ago, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, giant 10 cm amoebas called xenophyophores.
These single-celled organisms are likely to have grown so large because of the environment in which they live at a depth of 10.6 km. Cold temperatures, high pressure and lack of sunlight most likely contributed to the fact that these amoebas have become enormous.
In addition, xenophyophores have incredible abilities. They are resistant to many elements and chemicals, including uranium, mercury and lead,that would kill other animals and people.
Molluscs
The strong pressure of the water in the Mariana Trench does not give any animal with shell or bones a chance of survival. However, in 2012, shellfish were found in a trench near serpentine hydrothermal vents. Serpentine contains hydrogen and methane, which allows living organisms to form.
TO How did the molluscs keep their shells under this pressure? remains unknown.
In addition, hydrothermal vents release another gas, hydrogen sulfide, which is fatal to shellfish. However, they learned to bind the sulfur compound into a safe protein, which allowed the population of these molluscs to survive.
Pure liquid carbon dioxide
Hydrothermal Champagne spring The Mariana Trench, which lies outside the Okinawa Trench near Taiwan, is the only known underwater area where liquid carbon dioxide can be found... The source, discovered in 2005, gets its name from the bubbles, which turned out to be carbon dioxide.
Many believe that these springs, called "white smokers" due to the lower temperature, may be the source of life. It was in the depths of the oceans with low temperatures and an abundance of chemicals and energy that life could originate.
Slime
If we had the opportunity to swim to the very depths of the Mariana Trench, then we would feel that she covered with a layer of viscous mucus... Sand, in the form we are accustomed to, does not exist there.
The bottom of the depression is mainly composed of crushed shells and debris of plankton that have accumulated at the bottom of the depression for many years. Due to the incredible pressure of the water, almost everything there turns into fine grayish-yellow thick mud.
Liquid sulfur
Daikoku volcano, which lies at a depth of about 414 meters on the way to the Mariana Trench, is the source of one of the rarest phenomena on our planet. Here is lake of pure molten sulfur... The only place where liquid sulfur can be found is Jupiter's moon Io.
In this pit called the "cauldron", a seething black emulsion boils at 187 degrees Celsius... Although scientists have not been able to investigate the site in detail, there may be even more liquid sulfur contained deeper. It may reveal the secret of the origin of life on Earth.
According to Gaia's hypothesis, our planet is one self-governing organism, in which all living and non-living things are combined to support its life. If this hypothesis is correct, then a number of signals can be observed in the natural cycles and systems of the Earth. So the sulfur compounds created by organisms in the ocean must be stable enough in the water to allow them to pass into the air, and then return to land.
Bridges
At the end of 2011, it was discovered in the Mariana Trench four stone bridges, which stretched from one end to the other for 69 km. They appear to have formed at the junction of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates.
One of the bridges Dutton Ridge, which was discovered back in the 1980s, turned out to be incredibly high, like a small mountain. At the highest point the ridge reaches 2.5 km over the Challenger Abyss.
Like many aspects of the Mariana Trench, the purpose of these bridges remains unclear. However, the very fact that these formations were found in one of the most mysterious and unexplored places is amazing.
The ocean is much closer to us than the planets of the solar system. However, its bottom has been studied only by 5 percent. And how many more secrets do the waters of the world's oceans keep? This is the greatest mystery of our planet.
Maximum depth
The Mariana Trench, or in other words the Mariana Trench, is the deepest place in the world's oceans. Amazing creatures live here and there is practically no light. However, this is famous place, which is still not fully understood and is fraught with many unsolved mysteries.
Diving into the Mariana Trench is suicide. After all, the water pressure here is thousands of times higher than the pressure at sea level. The maximum depth of the world's oceans is approximately 10,994 meters with an error of 40 meters. However, there are daredevils who descended to the very bottom, risking their own lives. Of course, this was not done without modern technology.
Where is the deepest place in the world's oceans
The Mariana Trench is located in the region, or more precisely, in its western part, closer to the east, near Guam, about 200 kilometers from The deepest place in the world's oceans is shaped like a crescent-shaped trench. The depression is approximately 69 kilometers wide and 2550 kilometers long.
Coordinates of the Mariana Trench: longitude east - 142 ° 35 ', north latitude - 11 ° 22'.
Bottom temperature
Scientists have suggested that the temperature must be very low at the maximum depth. However, they were very surprised by the fact that at the bottom of the Mariana Trench this indicator remains above zero and is 1 - 4 ° С. Soon an explanation was found for this phenomenon.
Hydrothermal vents are located approximately 1,600 meters below the surface of the water. They are also called "white smokers". Very hot water jets come out of the springs. Its temperature is 450 ° Celsius.
It should be noted that this water contains a huge amount of minerals. It is these chemical elements that support life at great depths. Despite such a high temperature, which is several times higher than the boiling point, the water does not boil here. And this is due to the rather high pressure. At such a depth, this figure is 155 times higher than that on the surface.
As you can see, the deepest places in the world's oceans are not so simple. There are still many secrets hidden in them that need to be solved.
Who dwells so deep
Many people think that the deepest place in the world's oceans is an abyss where life cannot exist. However, this is not the case. At the very bottom of the Mariana Trench, scientists have discovered very large amoebas called xenophyophores. Their body length is 10 centimeters. These are very large unicellular organisms.
Scientists suggest that this type of amoeba acquired such size due to the environment in which they have to exist. It is worth noting that these single-celled creatures were found at a depth of 10.6 kilometers. Many factors influenced their development. This is the lack of sunlight, and a fairly high pressure, and, of course, cold water.
In addition, xenophyophores have simply unique abilities. Amoebas perfectly tolerate the effects of many chemicals and elements, including lead, mercury and uranium.
Molluscs
There is very high pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. In such conditions, there is no chance of survival even for creatures with bones or shells. However, not so long ago, shellfish were found in the Mariana Trench. They live near hydrothermal springs, because serpentine contains methane and hydrogen. These substances allow a living organism to fully form.
It is still not known how molluscs manage to preserve their shells in such conditions. In addition, hydrothermal vents release another gas - hydrogen sulfide. And he, as you know, is fatal to any shellfish.
Liquid carbon dioxide in its pure form
The Mariana Trench is the deepest place in the world's oceans, as well as wonderful world with many unexplained phenomena. There are hydrothermal vents located near Taiwan, outside the Okinawa Trench. This is the only underwater area known in this moment where liquid carbon dioxide is present. This place was discovered back in 2005.
Many scientists believe that it was these sources that allowed life to originate in the Mariana Trench. After all, here not only the optimal temperature, but also chemicals are present.
Finally
The deepest places of the world's oceans simply amaze with the extraordinary nature of their world. Here you can find living organisms that perfectly feel in complete darkness and under high pressure and cannot exist in another environment.
It is worth noting that the Mariana Trench has the status of a US National Monument. This marine reserve is the largest in the world. Of course, for those who want to visit here, there is a certain list of rules. In this place, it is strictly forbidden to extract minerals, as well as fish.
Many people know that the most high point- this is Everest (8848 m). If you are asked where the deepest point of the ocean is, what is your answer? Mariana Trench- this is the very place that we want to tell you about.
But first I would like to note that they never cease to amaze us with their riddles. The described place has also not yet been properly studied for quite objective reasons.
So, we offer you interesting facts about the Mariana Trench or, as it is also called, the Mariana Trench. Below are some valuable photos from mysterious inhabitants this abyss.
It is located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. This is the deepest place in the world known to date.
Having a V-shape, the trench runs along the Mariana Islands for 1500 km.
Mariana Trench on the map
An interesting fact is that the Mariana Trench is located at the junction: the Pacific and the Philippines.
The pressure at the bottom of the trough reaches 108.6 MPa, which is almost 1072 higher than normal pressure.
Probably, now you understand that due to such conditions it is extremely difficult to explore the mysterious bottom of the world, as this place is also called. Nevertheless, the scientific community, since the end of the 19th century, has not ceased to study this mystery of nature step by step.
Exploration of the Mariana Trench
In 1875, the first attempt was made to globally explore the Mariana Trench. The British expedition "Challenger" carried out measurements and analysis of the trough. It was this group of scientists who set the primary mark at 8184 meters.
Of course, this was not the full depth, since the capabilities of that time were much more modest than today's measuring systems.
Soviet scientists have also made tremendous contributions to research. An expedition led by the research vessel "Vityaz" in 1957 began its own studies and found that there is life at a depth exceeding 7000 meters.
Until that time, there was a persistent conviction that life at such a depth was simply impossible.
We invite you to see an interesting scale image of the Mariana Trench:
Diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench
1960 was one of the most fruitful years in terms of exploring the Mariana Trench. The research bathyscaphe "Trieste" made a record dive to a depth of 10,915 meters.
This is where something mysterious and inexplicable began. Special devices that register underwater sound began to transmit eerie noises to the surface, reminiscent of the grinding of a saw on metal.
The monitors recorded mystical shadows that resembled fabulous dragons with multiple heads. For an hour, scientists tried to capture as much data as possible, but then the situation began to spiral out of control.
It was decided to immediately raise the bathyscaphe to the surface, as there were reasonable fears that if you wait a little longer, the bathyscaphe will forever remain in the mysterious abyss of the Mariana Trench.
For more than 8 hours, specialists have retrieved unique equipment made of heavy-duty materials from the bottom.
Of course, all the instruments, and the bathyscaphe itself, were carefully placed on a special platform for studying the surface.
Imagine the surprise of scientists when it turned out that almost all elements of the unique apparatus, made of the most durable metals at that time, were severely deformed and distorted.
The cable, 20 cm in diameter, which lowered the bathyscaphe to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, was half sawn. Who and why tried to cut it - remains a mystery to this day.
An interesting fact is that only in 1996 the American newspaper "New York Times" published the details of this unique study.
Lizard from the Mariana Trench
The German Highfish Expedition also faced the unexplained mysteries of the Mariana Trench. Submerging the research apparatus to the bottom, unexpected difficulties arose before the scientists.
Being at a depth of 7 kilometers under water, they decided to lift the equipment.
But the technique refused to obey. Then special infrared cameras were turned on to find out the cause of the failures. However, what they saw on the monitors plunged them into indescribable horror.
On the screen, a fantastic gigantic lizard was clearly visible, which was trying to gnaw the bathyscaphe like a nut squirrel.
Being in a state of shock, the hydronauts activated the so-called electric cannon. Having received a powerful discharge of current, the lizard disappeared into the abyss.
It is still unknown what it was, the fantasy of scientists obsessed with research work, mass hypnosis, delirium of people tired of colossal stress, or just someone's joke.
The deepest place in the Mariana Trench
On December 7, 2011, researchers at the University of New Hampshire plunged a unique robot into the bottom of an investigated trough.
Thanks to modern equipment, it was possible to register a depth of 10,994 m (+/- 40 m). This place was named after the first expedition (1875), about which we wrote above: “ Challenger Abyss».
Inhabitants of the Mariana Trench
Of course, after these inexplicable and even mystical secrets, natural questions began to arise: what monsters live at the bottom of the Mariana Trench? After all, for a long time it was believed that the existence of living beings below 6,000 meters is, in principle, impossible.
However, later studies of the Pacific Ocean in general, and the Mariana Trench in particular, confirmed the fact that at a much greater depth, in impenetrable darkness, under the monstrous pressure and water temperature close to 0 degrees, a huge number of unseen creatures live.
Undoubtedly, without modern technology, made of the most durable materials and equipped with cameras with unique properties, such research would be simply impossible.
Half-meter mutant octopus 
One and a half meter monster 
As a summary, we can confidently say that at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, between 6,000 and 11,000 meters under water, the following were reliably found: worms (up to 1.5 meters in size), crayfish, a variety of bacteria, amphipods, gastropods, mutant octopuses, mysterious starfish, unidentified soft-bodied creatures two meters in size, etc.
These inhabitants feed mainly on bacteria and the so-called "cadaveric rain", that is, dead organisms slowly sinking to the bottom.
Hardly anyone doubts that the Mariana Trench holds many more. However, the person does not give up attempts to investigate this. unique place planets.
Thus, the only people who dared to dive to the "bottom of the earth" were the American marine specialist Don Walsh and the Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard. On the same bathyscaphe "Trieste" they reached the bottom on January 23, 1960, having sank to a depth of 10,915 meters.
However, on March 26, 2012, James Cameron, an American filmmaker, made a solo dive to the bottom of the deepest point in the oceans. Bathyscaphe collected all the necessary samples and made a valuable photo and video filming. Thus, we now know that only three people have been to Challenger's Abyss.
Did they manage to answer at least half of the questions? Of course not, since the Mariana Trench still hides much more mysterious and inexplicable things.
By the way, James Cameron stated that after diving to the bottom, he felt completely cut off from the human world. Moreover, he assured that no monsters at the bottom of the Mariana Trench simply do not exist.
But here you can recall the primitive Soviet statement, after the flight into space: "Gagarin flew into space - he did not see God." From this it was concluded that there is no God.
Similarly, here, we cannot unequivocally say that the giant lizard and other creatures that scientists saw in the process of previous research were the result of someone's sick fantasy.
It is important to understand that the subject geographic feature has a length of over 1000 kilometers. Therefore, potential monsters, the inhabitants of the Mariana Trench, could well have been many hundreds of kilometers from the research site.
However, these are just hypotheses.
Panorama of the Mariana Trench on Yandex Map
Another interesting fact might intrigue you. On April 1, 2012, Yandex published a comic panorama of the Mariana Trench. On it you can see a sunken ship, water plums and even the glowing eyes of a mysterious underwater monster.
Despite the humorous idea, this panorama is tied to real place and is still available to users.
To view it, copy this code into the address bar of your browser:
https://yandex.ua/maps/-/CZX6401a
The abyss knows how to keep its secrets, and our civilization has not yet reached such a development to "crack" natural mysteries. However, who knows, maybe one of the readers of this article in the future will become the genius who will be able to solve this problem?
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The Mariana Trench is one of the least explored places on our planet. Although the deepest ocean trench still hides a lot of secrets, man managed to find out a few interesting facts about its structure and parameters.
Willyam Bradberry | Shutterstock.com
Part of the data on the Mariana Trench is known to a fairly wide circle.
1. Thus, the pressure in the Mariana Trench is 1,100 times greater than at sea level. For this reason, immersing a living creature without special equipment in a gutter is an effective way to commit suicide.
2. The maximum depth of the Mariana Trench is 10,994 meters ± 40 meters (according to data from 2011). For comparison, the highest peak of the Earth - Everest - reaches a height of 8,848 meters, and, therefore, being in the Mariana Trench, it would be completely covered with water.
3. The deep-sea trench got its name from the Mariana Islands, located about 200 km to the west of it.
Exploration missions who dared to descend into the deep-sea trench were exposed to its more surprising facts.
4. The water in the Mariana Trench is relatively warm - from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. The reason for such a high temperature of deep-sea water is hydrothermal springs, the water around which heats up to 450 degrees Celsius.
5. The gutter is inhabited by huge poisonous xenophyophores. Unicellular organisms reach 10 centimeters (!) In diameter.
6. The Mariana Trench is home to shellfish. Invertebrates live in the vicinity of serpentine hydrothermal vents, which exude hydrogen and methane, which are essential for the life of molluscs.
7. The Champagne hydrothermal spring in the depression produces liquid carbon dioxide.
8. The bottom of the cavity is covered with viscous slime, which is crushed shells and plankton remnants, turned into sticky mud by incredible water pressure.
9. At a depth of about 414 meters in the Mariana Trench there is active volcano Daikoku. The volcanic eruptions have formed a lake of liquid sulfur, whose temperature reaches 187 degrees Celsius.
10. In 2011, 4 stone “bridges” were discovered in the Mariana Trench, each of which is 69 kilometers long. Scientists suggest that they formed at the junction of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates.
11. Famed director James Cameron is one of three daredevils to descend into the Mariana Trench. The creator of Avatar took his journey in 2012.
12. Mariana Trench - national monument USA and the largest marine reserve in the world.
13. The Mariana Trench is by no means a strictly vertical depression in seabed... The shape of the Mariana Trench resembles a crescent moon about 2550 kilometers long and an average of 69 kilometers wide.
From time immemorial, the oceanic abyss has attracted close attention of man, but only relatively recently he was able to satisfy his curiosity by plunging into the bottom of the World Ocean. The Mariana Trench, often called the Mariana Trench, is by far the most deep point on the planet.
Mariana Trench
1. Where is it located?
This object has the following geographical coordinates: 11 ° 21 ′ north latitude and 142 ° 12 ′ east longitude. It got its name from the nearby archipelago of the Mariana Islands (under US jurisdiction). The most deep depression the planet stretched along the islands for more than 1500 km.
2. What does it look like?
Visually it looks like a V-shaped profile with rather steep slopes - within 7-9 °. The flat bottom of the depression, the width of which is within 1-5 km, is divided by separate ridges into separate zones.
3. What is the pressure at the bottom of the trough?
It should be noted that the water pressure at the bottom is more than 108.6 MPa, which is almost 1100 times higher than the normal atmospheric pressure at the surface.
The Mariana Trench sits between two tectonic plates, exactly where the Pacific Plate gradually sags beneath the Philippine Plate.
4. Fourth pole
Due to the lack of the necessary technical means, for a long time it was inaccessible for human penetration. In this regard, she received the nickname "the fourth pole". At the same time, for the sake of justice, we note that the geographic poles are the North and South, and the geomorphological poles are Everest (Chomolungma) and the Mariana Trench.
Despite the fact that the North and South Poles were successfully conquered by man, this very place was inaccessible for a long time.
5. Measuring depth in 1951
1951 - The first depth data was obtained by the British research vessel Challenger. According to his measurements, it was a record 10863 meters.
6. Measuring depth in 1957
1957 - the Soviet research vessel "Vityaz", during its 25th anniversary voyage, established the true depth of the Mariana Trench. Initial data showed a figure of 11034 meters, the final figure was taken to be a depth of 11022 meters.
7. How was the depth of the Mariana Trench measured?
Such a large difference in the value of the depth is explained by the presence of certain difficulties in measurement.
It is well known that the speed of sound propagation in water directly depends on its properties and depth. In this regard, the acoustic properties at different depths are measured simultaneously by several special technical devices, namely, a barometer and a thermometer.
Focusing on the readings of these devices, the Soviet scientists made amendments to the value of the final value determined by the echo sounder.
8. Which is higher / deeper, Everest or the Mariana Trench?
According to scientific research in 1995, the depth was 10,920 meters. In 2009, this figure increased to 10,971 meters.
In view of this, the deepest point of this natural formation, which in the international scientific community is called the Challenger Deep, is much farther from the surface of the World Ocean than Mount Everest rises above it.
9. First dive to the bottom
On January 23, 1960, US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh, together with research scientist Jacques Picard, carried out the first dive in the history of mankind.
Especially for these purposes, they used the bathyscaphe "Trieste", which was the development of the Swiss scientist Auguste Picard. As a basis for this device, the previous model of the world's first deep-sea bathyscaphe FNRS-2 was used.
10. Where did the name of the bathyscaphe come from?
As the son of Auguste, Jacques Piccard gave his father-designer significant help.
The main work on the creation of a deep-sea bathyscaphe was carried out in an Italian city on the coast Adriatic sea- in the city of Trieste. Hence the name of the device.
11. First dive "Trieste"
The first dive "Trieste" was successfully completed in August 1953. Until the onset of 1957, the bathyscaphe made numerous dives in the Mediterranean Sea.
Jacques Piccard, together with his father, who at that time turned 69 years old, was the pilot of the apparatus.
During one of the next dives, a record depth of 3150 meters was reached at that time.
12. What did the Trieste bathyscaphe look like?
As well as all subsequent models, the trieste bathyscaphe was visually a hermetically sealed special steel nacelle, shaped like a sphere for the crew of the vehicle. The bathyscaphe was attached to a large float filled with gasoline in order to ensure the proper level of buoyancy.
At that time, "Trieste" was distinguished by a revolutionary solution to an urgent problem in the event of a swaying side.
Starting the dive at 16:22 CET, the bathyscaphe began to gradually plunge into the oceanic abyss - all this time the daredevils observed a myriad of brightly glowing deep-sea fish.
13. Temperature at the bottom of the Mariana Trench
Jacques Piccard and John Walsh reached the deepest point in the oceans after 30 minutes - other sources claim that it took them more than 12 minutes. The researchers of the oceanic abyss were very frozen - at the bottom the water temperature was a little over 2 ° Celsius.
14. What depth did Picard and Walsh record?
Special instruments of the "Trieste" bathyscaphe recorded the depth of the fearless exploration - 11521 meters (according to, again, other data, the depth was 11022 meters). The adjusted figure was considered to be 10,918 meters.
15. Dive and ascent times
The whole procedure of submerging the bathyscaphe took more than 5 hours; it returned to the surface after 3 hours.
16. Life at the bottom
Scientists were sincerely surprised to find highly organized life in such ocean depths, where eternal darkness reigns. Through the windows, Picard and Walsh had the opportunity to observe flat fish hitherto unknown to science, which visually somewhat resembled a flounder and reached almost 30 cm in length.
17. Another important task
Together with the conquest of the deepest point of the World Ocean, scientists completed another important task - they had a direct impact on the decision of the leading world powers to abandon their intentions of burying radioactive waste at the bottom.
Jacques Piccard scientifically proved that at a depth of over 6000 meters there is no movement of ocean waters - otherwise, the fate of the world would be categorically different ...
18. Japanese probe "Kaiko"
On March 24, 1997, the Japanese deep-sea probe "Kaiko" sank to the bottom of the Mariana Trench and recorded a depth of 10,911.4 meters.
19. Deep-sea vehicle Nereus
May 31, 2009 - The Nereus ROV has reached the lowest point in the Mariana Trench. He recorded a depth of 10902 meters. Bathyscaphe filmed a video and took several photographs of the world's bottom. Experimental samples of silt deposits at the bottom of this natural formation were also taken.
20. How Nereus was managed
In total, Nereus spent more than 10 hours at the bottom. By analogy with a helicopter, he now and then hovered in the water column, controlled by pilots on board a research vessel.
The control was carried out by means of a special fiberglass cable, the thickness of which did not exceed the thickness of a human hair. The cable was protected by a special plastic casing. Thus, the ship's team in online mode was able to see everything that was happening at the bottom. Nereus raised soil samples to the surface.
21. Deepsea Challenger dive
James Cameron made a solo dive on 03/26/2012 and became the third person in history to reach the bottom of the deepest point on the planet and stay there for about two hours. During this time, video and photography were made, and samples were taken from the very bottom. The dive took place on a one-seater Deepsea Challenger bathyscaphe, below you can see the photos.
The Mariana Trench is the deepest point in the oceans. Its depth is further from the level of the World Ocean than the summit of Everest, the most high mountain on the ground. The oceans have been studied by only 5%, which means that we still have a long way to learn about it.
