Scientists mapped almost a quarter of the ocean floor

Thanks to an international effort known as Seabed 2030, roughly 25% of the Earth's sea floor has been charted (23.4 percent to be precise). The project is part of a larger UN-led movement called The Ocean Decade, which relies largely on voluntary contributions of bathymetric data (or ocean topography) from governments, enterprises, and research institutions. Seabed 2030 aims to map the entire ocean floor by 2030, according to its creators, owing in part to advancements in technology and corralling data that has long been available. Seabed 2030 has added measurements for about 3.8 million square miles (roughly the size of Europe) over the last year, rather than conducting active mapping activities.

Collecting more bathymetric data is expected to help us better understand climate change and ocean conservation efforts, according to scientists. Ocean floor mapping also aids in the detection of tsunamis and other natural disasters. “A complete map of the ocean floor is a crucial tool that will enable us to tackle several of today's most pressing environmental problems, such as climate change and marine pollution,” said Mitsuyuki Unno, executive director of The Nippon Foundation in a press release.

As the BBC emphasizes, much of the material utilized in Seabed 2030 is already available. The organization largely relies on contributions from governments and businesses, although some of these authorities are still hesitant to fully open up their archives for fear of leaking national or commercial secrets.

All of Seabed 2030's data will be posted on the GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans) global grid, making it accessible to the public. Prior to Seabed 2030, there was a severe lack of ocean floor measurement data that could be used by the general public. Satellite altimeter readings are commonly utilized to estimate seafloor shapes, which provide only a vague indication of its form. A worldwide effort to locate Malaysia Airlines flight MH370's crash would have been aided by more sophisticated technologies for mapping the sea floor surface.