The Marriana Trench

     It might seem rather strange how our oceans remain largely unexplored while we making all these efforts to personally explore other worlds. But when one considers what deep-sea exploration involves, it becomes understandable. You see, there are two main problems. One is the pressure and the other the darkness.



     The problem with deep-sea exploration is that pressure increases the deeper we descend. Our bodies are comfortable with the pressure that our atmosphere exerts at sea level which is approx 14.7 pounds per square inch. However, when we descent into the pressure every ten increases by one atmosphere for every ten meters.

10 meters = 29.4 pounds per square inch

20 meters = 44.1 psi

30 meters = 58.8 psi

40 meters = 73.5 psi

50 meters = 88.2 psi

60 meters = 102.9 psi

     The deepest part of the ocean in the Pacific Ocean is the Mariana Trench and it has a pressure of 1000 atmospheres per square inch. That's 14,700 pounds per square inch. That's like having an African elephant weighing approx 12,000 pounds and the weight of a 2700 pound buffalo pressing in on every single square inch of your body from all angles. It is also being exerted on every square inch of whatever machine you are traveling in including the glass of the portholes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-sea_exploration



     Then there is the problematic, eternal, deep darkness of those underwater regions. As one descends, light gradually dims until it's totally pitch black. If indeed the geography is to be seen directly via the cameras or through the small portholes, then artificial light must be used. Even then only the immediate surroundings would be visible with the help of the best artificial illumination. True, bioluminescent critters might be seen now and then. But that's about it. So exploration doesn't provide as much of a sightseeing incentive as the planets do.

The Mariana Trench is 11,033 meters (36,201 feet), (6033.5) fathoms deep.

The Pressure at the deepest part of the Mariana Trench is over 8 tons per square inch.

The coordinates for the Mariana Trench are 11"21' North latitude and 142" 12' East longitude.

The Mariana Trench is 2, 542 km (1,580 miles) long and 69 km (43 miles) wide.

www.livescience.com/23387-mariana-trench.html