Mariana Trench has been unveiled.
(Mirror Daily, United States) – A new project to investigate the Mariana Trench has recently started. The project plan divides into three periods. The first expedition began on April 20 and ended Wednesday, on the 69th day.
The second exploration will be from May 20th until June 19th and the third one from June 17th to July 10th. The last two of them aim to explore the northern areas of the trench because Mariana Trench is an ocean region that has the world’s deepest waters.
The three-month project, developed by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), sent robotic submarines into the depth of the trench to discover things that we have never seen before.
These submarines have used three cameras to capture marine life and ecology. Moreover, these cameras have a live stream, which grants the opportunity for every internet user to see the hidden riches from the depths of the ocean. Moreover, for the first time, the public and the scientists are connected with the mission.
Plus, many other missions are presently conducted by NOAA across the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Nothern Mariana Islands) and the MTMNM (Mariana’s Trench Marine National Monument). Until now, the NOAA has caught on camera unique sea creatures such as predatory jellyfish and purple sea cucumbers.
This expedition does not only have the role to discover other marine species but most importantly to ensure a better protection these ocean depths. According to the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, an enormous area of the Monument and also the surrounding areas are still unexplored, in spite of so many years of research.
However, in the following months, the scientists aim to discover and learn more about the trench areas, seamounts, subduction zones, bottom fish habitats and last but not least, new hydrothermal vent sponge communities.
The entire area has been under the protection of the MTMNM since 2009, meaning that it should be very well preserved and ready for this thorough expedition. Undiscovered mud volcanoes and new species will provide vital information for the scientists’ research and will help them understand more about our planet and how to better protect it.
Most importantly, jellyfish species are the ones that caught the experts’ attention the most as they have fascinating abilities, a various number and a diverse form making the Mariana Trench a genuinely mysterious and ethereal place.
Image Source: Wall321