# Lab 31: ocean: ocean floor mapping
#### 1. Introduction to Ocean Floor Mapping
- Objective: Introduce the concept and importance of ocean floor mapping.
- Activities:
- Warm-Up Question: “What do you know about the bottom of the ocean?”
- Presentation:
- Explain why the ocean floor is mapped (e.g., understanding ecosystems, navigation, natural resource exploration, studying plate tectonics).
- Share key statistics (e.g., over 80% of the ocean floor is still unmapped).
- Briefly introduce mapping methods: sonar, satellite altimetry, and submersibles.
- Media: Show a video or animation about ocean floor mapping (e.g., NOAA or National Geographic resources).
#### 2. Techniques for Mapping the Ocean Floor (20 minutes)
- Objective: Explore the tools and methods scientists use to map the ocean floor.
- Activities:
- Interactive Presentation:
- Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging): Explain how sound waves are used to measure depth and create a profile of the seabed.
- Satellite Altimetry: Discuss how satellites measure sea surface height to infer underwater topography.
- Submersibles and ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles): Explain how they are used to explore and map areas in detail.
#### 3. Features of the Ocean Floor (20 minutes)
- Objective: Identify key ocean floor features and their formation.
- Activities:
- Presentation with Diagrams:
- Highlight features like mid-ocean ridges, trenches, seamounts, abyssal plains, and underwater volcanoes.
- Discuss how plate tectonics shapes these features.
- Interactive Activity:
- Using google earth, create an island map of the sea floor
#### 4. Application: Importance of Ocean Floor Mapping (15 minutes)
- Objective: Relate ocean floor mapping to real-world applications.
- Activities:
- Case Studies:
- Tsunami Prediction: Explain how mapping helps identify earthquake-prone areas.
- Marine Conservation: Discuss how it informs habitat protection (e.g., coral reefs).
- Search and Recovery: Highlight its role in finding shipwrecks or lost aircraft (e.g., MH370).
#### 5. Hands-On GIS Activity: Visualizing Ocean Floor Data (20 minutes)
- Objective: Use technology to explore real-world ocean floor data.
- Activities:
- Use an online tool like Google Earth Ocean or NOAA Bathymetry Data Viewer.
- Explore and identify key features (e.g., the Mariana Trench, Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
- Questions:
- What is the deepest part of the ocean you can find?
- Identify a mid-ocean ridge and describe its location.
- What patterns do you notice in ocean floor features?
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