So join us as we explore The Depths Below. While we've come a long way in our understanding of the ocean, most places are still unexplored, and many questions are unanswered. But this far down, organisms like these mussels have adaptations that allow them to get their nutrients from bacteria that can convert methane and other chemicals in the salty water into energy. This far beneath the ocean's surface, sunlight is extremely hard to come by.Īs we know, sunlight plays an extremely important part in the food chain here on land. Huge fields of mussels are found growing along the edges of some of these lakes – but they're not exactly sunning themselves. They're even very similar to lakes and rivers on land, with shorelines, surfaces – even waves!Īnd there are even some creatures that enjoy hanging out by these lakes, like underwater beach bums. These underwater lakes and rivers can be as small as a few feet across or as large as a few miles long. The dissolved salt makes the water denser, and because it is denser than the water around it, it will settle into the depressions, forming a river or lake.
Noaa environmental visualization labratory software#
As the water seeps up, it dissolves the salt layer, causing it to collapse and form depressions. The Virtual Laboratory (VLab) is a service and IT framework, being built out by OSTI and lead by MDL/DSB, which enables NOAA employees and their partners to share ideas, collaborate, engage in software development, and conduct applied research. How is that possible? Well, these lakes and rivers form when seawater seeps up through thick layers of salt, which are present beneath the seafloor. But did you know that in certain places on the seafloor, like in the Gulf of Mexico, there are even underwater lakes and rivers? This can be used as supplement to OA classroom presentations. And the seafloor is just as diverse a landscape. NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory A short (16-sec) animation of past, present and future Aragonite Saturation Levels as it relates to coral reef habitats. We see mountains – valleys – hills – and holes. We know the Earth isn't flat – in any sense of the word. NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL): Advancing scientific understanding of the chemical and physical processes that affect Earths atmospheric composition and climate. The data they collect is transmitted to NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service, where a team of scientists and supercomputers process it using complex algorithms. Come join us, as we explore The Depths Below. Data Visualization NOAA satellites continuously scan the surface of the Earth, collecting data about the atmosphere, land, and oceans. The Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL) was a climate laboratory in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). There's another world beneath the ocean's surface.