On a map, submarine canyons seem identical to land canyons – so much so that researchers surmised they are shaped by the same physical laws. New research reveals distinct differences for the first time.
On a map, submarine canyons seem identical to land canyons – so much so that researchers surmised they are shaped by the same physical laws. New research reveals distinct differences for the first time.
Submarine canyons are a final frontier on planet Earth. There are thousands of these breathtaking geological features hidden within the depths of the ocean – yet scientists have more high-resolution imagery of the surface of Mars than of Earth’s ocean floor.
In an effort to shed light on these mysterious underwater features, Stanford researchers analyzed a collection of global images from an online repository of data from the ocean floor. They found that submarine canyons, which had been believed to form in ways similar to canyons on land, are instead fundamentally different from the land-based ravines that cut through vast stretches of our mountain ranges. The research was published online in Geology Sept. 25.
“People would say, ‘Oh well, there is no real difference between the two systems because at the end of the day, a river flowing versus a sediment gravity flow flowing – they’re just going to do the same thing,’” said lead author Stephen Dobbs, a PhD candidate in geological sciences. “And it turns out that’s not necessarily the case.”
Read more at: Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences
