Scientific Studies in Aquatic Science

Early Aquatic Scientific Studies

• The United States Exploring Expedition (1839-1843)

• confirmed the presence of the continent of Antarctica

• discovered many Pacific Islands• charted much of the Pacific Northwest. • some of the first collections in the Smithsonian • 50,000 specimens were collected (10,000 species)

• The Challenger Expedition • funded by the British (1872 - 1876) • investigate deep-sea regions of all the oceans• first expedition that was purely for marine science.

• The Glomar Challenger Expedition (1968) • proved the theory of plate tectonics • developed the technology for deep-sea drilling.

Most modern expeditions utilize multi-million dollar research vessels owned by Government

agencies or research labs.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/218488/february-10-2009/robert-ballard

• Marine Labs began as a place for marine scientists to process their specimens from expeditions.

• The first marine lab was started in Italy around 1872.

• Others followed in England (1879) and the U. S. at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Technology used for Research

• Sonar (Sound Navigation Ranging)

• allowed humans to 'see' the bottom and other solid objects underwater

• sound is transmitted from a vessel with its reflection received and translated into a profile of the ocean bottom

Diving Technology• Visually exploring the oceans was enhanced with the

development of scuba diving • (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) • allowed humans to descend to 100 to 200 feet

• Helmet diving • allowed divers to descend deeper and stay longer.

• Diving bells were developed which allowed divers to enter and exit the bell while staying at deep depths

• Scuba, helmets and bells subjected the divers to changes in pressure and physiological changes that had to be carefully monitored to avoid death.

• Submersibles are built like small submarines

• take marine scientists to even deeper depths

• keeps the divers at one atmosphere pressure to avoid complications associated with scuba, helmets and bells.

New technologies make exploration and oceanic research easier

• ROV (Remote Operated Vehicles)• Satellite imaging • GPS Tracking• Computer Models

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK1npQWTWnY