The ocean floor is a riotous landscape of volcanoes, valleys and deep gashes spewing chemicals — but has been little explored. Until now.
A new exploratory crusade, using the world’s most advanced technological instruments, is about to bring this hidden landscape into view in unprecedented ways. At great depths, under crushing pressures, cameras and sonar aboard the Okeanos Explorer will map the ocean floor — and use broadband satellite transmission to instantly send its data and discoveries back to dry land.
Docked in San Francisco on Friday, National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration scientists aboard the giant vessel celebrated their new partnership with the science center Exploratorium, which will receive the images for real-time public viewing as they are being seen by scientists.
Read the complete story at Mercury News.