Colloquia

Colloquium: Jian Lin, WHOI

International exploration of the deep ocean: From ultra-slow-spreading oceanic crust to ultra-deep trenches

More than 76% of the world's oceans are deeper than 3000 m, but much of the inner space of our blue planet is stil unexplored. The deep ocean is linked to fundamental global science issues of our time, ranging from planetary-scale recycling of oceanic lithosphere, to deep-trench earthquakes and tsunamis, and to chemosynthetic life and biodiversity of hydrothermal vents at mid-range oceans. The international deep ocean exploration is now entering a period of unprecedented opportunity thanks to the rapid development of deep-sea vehicles, seafloor observatories, ocean drilling, and other advanced technologies. This presentation will illuminate these exciting progresses through recent multidisciplinary investigations of ultra-slow spreading oceanic crust in the Indian Ocean, ultra-deep Challenger Deep at the southernmost Mariana Trench, and other global examples.

Dr. Jian Lin, Senior Scientist
Henry B. Bigelow Chair for Excellence in Oceanography
Department of Geology & Geophysics
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=39595