Credit: National Geographic Society
Credit: National Geographic Society
Driving his own custom submarine called the ‘DEEPSEA CHALLENGER’, Cameron descended 35,756 feet, or 6.77 miles, to the deepest discovered spot on the bottom of the ocean, known as the ‘Challenger Deep.” His dive was part of ‘DEEPSEA CHALLENGE’ (they love their capitals in oceanography, apparently), an ocean exploration initiative by National Geographic, Rolex and Cameron. His dive makes him the first person to ever make the dive solo and only the second to ever make a manned dive.
Credit: National Geographic Society
Oh, and he caught the entire dive in 3D.
Vessels at the ocean’s floor experience incredible levels of pressure. Water, it turns out, is heavy. According to Wolfram Alpha, Challenger Deep is at 16,017 PSI, or pounds per square inch. That’s like having the weight of an elephant balanced on every square inch of the vessel. Car tires, for comparison, average between 26 and 41 PSI. Many engineeers have pointed out that it is easier to build something to be space-worthy than it is to build something that can exist intact at the ocean’s bottom. This pressure is why so few have been able to make it to the ocean’s floor. and it is why we know more about the moon and Mars than we do about the depths of our own ocean.
Credit: National Geographic Society
Cameron said of the dive:
"This journey is the culmination of more than seven years of planning for me and the amazing DEEPSEA CHALLENGE expedition team. Most importantly, though, is the significance of pushing the boundaries of where humans can go, what they can see and how they can interpret it. Without the support of National Geographic and Rolex, and their unwavering belief that we could successfully make it to the deepest point in the ocean -- and back -- this would not have happened."
ScienceDaily Photo by : National Geographic