Deep Sea Research

- Overview

The deep sea is the part of the ocean that's below 200 meters (656 feet) and is characterized by extreme pressure, cold temperatures, and darkness. It's the largest ecosystem on Earth and is home to many unique organisms. 

The conditions in the deep sea:

• Pressure: The deep sea is subject to extreme pressure, which can be 40 to over 110 times the pressure of Earth's atmosphere.
• Temperature: The average temperature of the deep sea is 4°C (39°F).
• Light: Light begins to fade at a depth of about 200 meters, and the deep sea is generally dark.

Lives in the deep sea:

• Unique organisms: The deep sea is home to many unique organisms that have adapted to survive in harsh conditions. For example, the snailfish has transparent skin, thin muscles, and jelly-like flesh so it doesn't need to swim to stay afloat.
• Marine snow:
• Marine snow is a rain of organic matter that falls from the surface of the ocean and is often the base of the food web in the deep sea.

The deep sea is a key player in climate change. Microorganisms in the deep sea use methane as energy, which prevents the greenhouse gas from resurfacing. The Deep Sea plays a major role in climate change mitigation. 

By storing a large part of the CO2 produced by human activities and by absorbing the heat accumulated by greenhouse effect, the Deep Sea slows down the warming of surface waters and land.

The deep seabed contains large concentrations of metals that are commercially valuable. 

Please refer to the following for more information:

• Wikipedia: Deep Sea

- The Deep Sea and Climate Change Mitigation

The Deep Sea plays a major role in climate change mitigation because it acts as a vast carbon sink, absorbing large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and also stores a significant amount of heat generated by climate change, effectively slowing down the warming of the planet's surface waters and land masses; essentially acting as a buffer against the effects of climate change. 

Key characteristics about the Deep Sea's role in climate change mitigation: 

• Carbon sequestration: The deep ocean absorbs a large portion of human-produced carbon dioxide, primarily through the process of the biological pump where phytoplankton photosynthesize and then sink to the depths when they die, taking carbon with them.
• Heat absorption: The vast volume of deep ocean water acts as a massive heat sink, absorbing a majority of the excess heat caused by climate change.
• Impact on ecosystems: Deep sea ecosystems play a critical role in this carbon cycle by processing and storing carbon through various marine organisms.

However, it's important to note that:

• Ocean acidification: As the ocean absorbs more CO2, it becomes more acidic, which can negatively impact marine life, particularly in the deep sea.
• Limits to absorption: While the deep sea is a vital carbon sink, it has a finite capacity to absorb CO2, and increasing emissions can overwhelm this ability.