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America's ocean realm is a rich mosaic of places,from icy fjords to tropical coral reefs, from sunlitshallows to lightless depths. These marineecosystems are habitats for seaweeds, snails,octopuses, fishes and whales, and places wherepeople sail, surf, snorkel, fish, and extract oil.They are essential to our well-being. No nationgoverns a larger or more diverse ocean area.This map is a new view of America's hiddenundersea places. Explore with us a submarinetrench that plummets nearly seven miles down,ocean currents that move thousands of timesmore water than the Mississippi River, a frozensea that's home to imperiled polar bears, andbeautiful deep-sea coral forests that scientistsdiscovered only in the 1990s.

Seamounts are activeor extinct underwater volcanoes rising at least 3200 feet above the seafloor.Those that penetrate the surface become islands, suchas the Hawaiian chain.

Abyssal Plainsdevelop far offshore in geologically stable areas of low sedimentation, wellbeyond the continental margins. These extensive, featureless regions of thedeep ocean floor constituteEarth’s flattest surfaces.

Continental Slopes: At their outer edges, the continental shelves descendabruptly along the continentalslopes to the true oceanfloor—often reaching a depthof about 12,000 feet.

ContinentalShelves:. The nearly horizontal platforms of thick sedimentencircling the continentswhere the sea is relativelyshallow compared with theopen ocean.

Hot Spots:Streams of molten rock arisedeep inside the Earth andmove upward through thecrust to erupt on the surfaceor seafloor. As seafloorspreading moves the crustover these “hot spots,” erup-tions can create chains ofseamounts and islands.

Tectonic Plates:Like pieces of a gigantic jigsaw puzzle, Earth’s rockycrust is broken into tectonicplates that move. Their slowyet rough-and-tumble jostlingcauses earthquakes and volcanoes, and forges mountains, valleys, seamountsand deep-sea trenches.

HydrothermalVents:Openings in the ocean floortypically at or near a mid-ocean ridge release hot, mineral-rich water that may support rare and unusualforms of life.

Seafloor Spreading occurs where two tectonicplates slowly separate—byseveral inches a year on average. Magma seeps into these fissures, formingnew crust and raising mid-ocean ridges.

See the following educational resource web sites to extend use of this map in the classroom:www.ngsednet.org/oceanswww.oceanexplorer.noaa.govwww.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/educationwww.vims.edu/bridgewww.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy

Funding for the development of this map was made by the IttlesonFoundation and by a grant from the National Geographic EducationFoundation; additional funding was provided by National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration’s OceanExploration Program, through a grant fromthe National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. EEZ Shape file provided by GeneralDynamics Global Maritime Datatbase.

Trenches are formedwhen dense oceanic crustslides beneath lighter oceaniccrust or continental crust. The Mariana Trench, Earth’sdeepest, plunges nearly 6.8miles (35827 ft) beneath thePacific’s surface.

National MarineSanctuaries:The National MarineSanctuary System serves asthe trustee for a system of 14 marine protected areas,encompassing more than150,000 square miles. Thesystem includes 13 nationalmarine sanctuaries and theNWHI National Monument.

Submarine Canyons:The continental slopes are rivenwith submarine canyons, thework of eroding streams ofmuddy water through which sediment ultimately reaches andspreads out across the vast flatabyssal plains of the ocean floor.

ExclusiveEconomic Zone:The area of sea up to 200nautical miles from a country’s coast. The countryhas jurisdiction over themarine resources in its EEZ.Traditionally, territorial watersextended only three milesfrom the coast—a distancebased on the range of a cannon shot.

Currents:The Earth's winds are the driving force ofits surface ocean currents which transportheat from the tropics to the higher latitudes, influence the location of majorfisheries, and affect coastal climates. When a warm current such as the KuroshioCurrent moves away from the Equator andalong East Asia, the water warms the coastand increases precipitation. When a coolcurrent, such as the California Current,heads back to the Equator after traveling to colder regions, it has cooled up to 10°Fand can moderate temperature extremes,resulting in drier, milder climates along theCalifornia coast.

Exploring America’sOcean RealmsExploring America’sOcean Realms

Few of us realize it, but by one definition ofwhat constitutes the United States, more of ournation is under water than on land! Some 4.4million square miles of ocean floor lies within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over whichwe claim jurisdiction and resources. That’s compared to 3.6 million square miles of land.Our list of America’s extraordinary places wouldlikely include the Great Smoky Mountains, GrandCanyon, Yellowstone's geysers, the ancientforests of the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii'svolcanoes. Yet equally magnificent places existbeneath the waves: the rich fishing grounds ofGeorges Bank, the teeming depths of MontereyCanyon, the Gulf of Alaska's volcanic seamounts,or the Mariana Trench, Earth’s deepest point.

HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL - DAVID B. FLEETHAM/SEAPICS.COM

PACIFIC WALRUS - BILL CURTSINGER

KELP FOREST - AL GIDDINGS

CARIBBEAN REEF SQUID - MASA USHIODA/SEAPICS.COM

WHALE BREACHING - FLIP NICKLIN/MINDEN PICTURES

SCHOOLMASTER SNAPPERS - BRIAN J. SKERRY/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION

SEA TURTLE - JAMES WATT/SEAPICS.COM

DIVERS WITH GIANT MANTA RAY - FLIP NICKLIN/MINDEN PICTURES

MARINE SANCTUARY

MAP KEY

200-nautical-mileExclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

www.oceanexplorer.noaawww.mcbi.org www.nmsfocean.org

www.ngsednet.org/oceans

www.skytruth.org

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So vast and mysterious is the ocean that we are tempted to view it as indestructible. While the ocean provides great benefits, overfishing,destructive fishing practices, pollution, introduction of non-native species,and global climate change can threaten the ocean’s web of life if we aren’t careful. Many sharks and other fishes are far less abundant than they once were, but with new management practices other populations arerecovering. White abalone, Pacific leatherback sea turtles, short-tailed albatrosses, Hawaiian monk seals, and North Atlantic right whales arespecies whose future will depend on decisions made by us, citizens andleaders alike. We can better protect, recover, and sustainably use thewealth of marine life if we choose to. And that starts with knowing thesespecial places in the ocean.

The ocean and humans are inextricablyinterconnected. The ocean generates the fresh water we drink, the oxygen we breathe, our climate, seafood, and new medicines. The brown, green, blue,and black waters of the marine realm are home to myriad species—from tinyplankton to great whales—many yet to be discovered. Our ocean is largelyunknown, 95% unexplored—unseen by human eyes.

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3 NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), the world’s most isolated chain of coral atolls,reefs, and islands, offer a rare glimpse of theworld’s most diverse marine ecosystems.Stretching 1,200 miles northwest of the mainHawaiian Islands, the NWHI provide essentialhabitat for a multitude of marine species, providing places where they can feed, grow, and breed. More than 7,000 species of algae,marine invertebrates, fish, sea turtles, seabirds,and marine mammals make up the NWHI’s webof life. The NWHI provide a home to albatrossesand more than 14 million other seabirds as wellas over 90 percent of Hawaii’s green sea turtleswhich return there to nest. The NWHI are alsohome to pristine deep-sea corals found in association with submarine canyons andseamounts that are little-known. To protect themarine ecosystem surrounding the islands, theUnited States designated the NWHI as a coralreef ecosystem reserve in 2000, and restrictedcertain kinds of fishing that could damage coral and entangle rare species, such as theendangered Hawaiian monk seal. In 2006, the

NWHI were designated as a MarineNational Monument.

2 AMERICAN SAMOA

American Samoa, a group of six islands in theSouth Pacific, is home to a vibrant Polynesian culture and equally vibrant marine biodiversity.The Samoas now host some of the largest populations of Polynesian people who arrived in ocean-going boats as early as 800 B.C.Fa'asamoa—the Samoan way of life—intertwinesa sense of ancestral respect and stewardshiptoward the ocean and its creatures. In Samoanfolklore, sea turtles were believed to have thepower to save fishermen who were lost at sea by returning them safely to shore. Samoa’s reefs are home to many hundreds of fish species.Among Samoa’s most commercially importantfisheries are those for tuna, which migrate long distances in the Pacific. American Samoa is home to the largest tuna processing plants in the world. These facilities process almost 1,000 tons of tuna each day, which highlights the importance of protecting Pacific Oceanecosystems. Through strong scientific researchand sound management, fisheries in the region can be sustainable and Fa’asamoa can be preserved.

1 MARIANA TRENCHFROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

Imagine the deepest, darkest place on Earth—an underwater trench plummeting to a depth of 35,800 feet, nearly seven miles below theocean surface. The Mariana Trench is one of the least explored places on Earth. Deep enoughto swallow Mt. Everest, the Mariana Trench wasfirst pinpointed in 1951 by the British Survey ship Challenger II. Known since as ChallengerDeep, it was not visited for nearly ten years.Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh descended in asubmersible called the Trieste which could withstand over 16,000 pounds of pressure persquare inch. Their descent to the bottom incramped quarters took five hours, but providedour first glimpses of the seafloor and life at theocean’s greatest depths. The Mariana Trench represents just one small part of the Earth’s last, great frontier. Less than five percent of the entire ocean has been explored, yet scientists have found that even the deep sea has great numbers of species—and the discoveries have only just begun.

An unexplored frontier at the ocean’s greatest depths

6 JUAN DE FUCA RIDGE

Stretching 300 miles along the coast ofWashington and Oregon, the Juan de Fuca Ridgeis an underwater volcanic mountain range.Created by the separation of the Juan de FucaPlate and the Pacific Plate, the Juan de FucaRidge is home to an extraordinary community of life whose source of energy is not the sun, but sulfur-rich chemicals. Deriving energythrough chemosynthesis, bacteria form the basisof a deep-sea food chain that supports unusualcreatures such as red-and-white tubeworms,deep-sea crabs, and mussels. Undersea springscalled hydrothermal vents release scaldingplumes of 400oF lava-heated water. Carrying sulfur-bearing minerals, the plumes look likeblack clouds and the vents are thus named“black smokers.” On contact with frigid seawater,the minerals crystallize and settle on the seaflooraround the vent openings. Over time, the mineraldeposits grow like chimneys to heights of a hundred feet or more. The chemistry of the ocean is controlled, in part, by this transfer ofheat and chemicals through hydrothermal vents,making undersea hot springs important to understanding ocean systems.

5 ARCTIC-BEAUFORT SEA

The frigid, icy waters of the Arctic Ocean areamong the least explored in the world. Harsh,unforgiving conditions have led species to adaptto the seasonal ice coverage in this region. Forexample, some unique crustacean species oramphipods live permanently on the underside ofice flows, using large ice channels and crevassesas protection from predators. Ringed sealsdepend on sea ice as a place to breed and raiseyoung, and polar bears prey on the seals. Sea ice also protects Arctic communities and shorelines from erosion due to wind, waves, and current. But global climate change can causea drastic reduction in the level of sea ice. Even a moderate rise in temperature will result in theloss of this crucial wildlife habitat, threateningthe seal and polar bear populations, amongother species. The encroaching water level alsoforces native Alaskans to relocate their villages to areas safe from coastal erosion. Scientists fear that these accelerating changes will begin to occur faster than people and animals canadapt. In some places, the shoreline has retreated by thirty feet per year. Increased climate change in the Beaufort Sea region risks upsetting its delicate balance.

4 GULF OF ALASKA SEAMOUNT CHAINS

Mountain ranges aren't only on land—indeed,some of the world's biggest mountain rangesoccur in the ocean! Underwater mountains calledseamounts rise high above the surroundingseafloor. Most of these are extinct volcanoes thatformed above "hotspots" of magma rising fromdeep within the Earth. Beneath the waves in theGulf of Alaska stretch long chains of seamounts.The crest of one such peak, Patton Seamount,reaches to within 600 feet of the surface. Over10,000 feet tall and 20 miles wide at the base,Patton Seamount originally formed offWashington state as a submerged volcano 33million years ago. Over time, as the Pacific platemoved steadily northwest, Patton Seamount wascarried off the hotspot and into the Gulf ofAlaska. New volcanoes formed one after anotherover this hotspot, producing today's seamountchain. Explorations of these seamounts in theGulf of Alaska have shown that despite the factthat most of these Pacific seamounts were created by hotspots, they are all unique in theirsize, shape, and volcanic features. Theseamounts teem with deep-sea corals, sponges,and fish. Recent expeditions to these seamountsusing manned submersibles and ROVs have discovered many marine species and have greatlyexpanded our knowledge of the range of deep-sea corals in this region.

9 DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK8 GULF OF MEXICO

A belt of salt domes lies beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. Over 500 mushroom-shaped geological structures formed as the Gulf separated from the Atlantic Ocean. As water evaporated, salts sank to the bottom, creating thick salt beds that rose in some placesinto domes thousands of feet tall and severalmiles in diameter. Capped with corals as brilliantand colorful as beds of flowers, two salt domeshouse the Flower Garden Banks National MarineSanctuary. It is home to thriving populations ofsome of the ocean’s largest sharks and rays: fifty-foot long whale sharks, migrating hammerheadsharks, and giant manta rays with twenty-footwing spans. In the rocks deep below, carbon-rich sediments generate oil and gas. Today, there are over 4,000 oil and gas platforms connected by 33,000 miles of pipeline on the Gulf seafloor. Pollutants from the Mississippi Riverincluding agricultural fertilizers from as far northas the river’s source in Minnesota spill into theGulf. These fertilizers stimulate blooms of phytoplankton. When they die every summer, an oxygen-devoid “Dead Zone” as large as NewJersey is formed and causes severe impacts on

the Gulf’s marine life.

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Many of Earth’s highest peaks, deepest valleys,and most extensive plains are found in theocean. The undersea Monterey Canyon inCalifornia descends over two miles—twice asdeep as Arizona’s Grand Canyon. From the wavysurface to the blackest depths, Monterey Canyonteems with beautiful and bizarre organisms.Thriving in absolute darkness on the seafloor are creatures that rely on chemical energyderived from methane rather than sunlight. In the overlying water column, the canyon supportsa variety of creatures that spend their lives drifting on currents, including jellyfish, squid, and lanternfish. The diversity of life in the surfacewaters above Monterey Canyon includes fish, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals,which congregate to feed in this productive environment. Rockfish and sea otters, amongothers, find shelter in the rich coastal kelpforests. Giant kelp, a type of algae that can grow up to two feet per day, is the largest plantin the ocean reaching nearly 200 feet in length.Together these huge algae and their microscopiccousins, phytoplankton, provide the Earth withoxygen essential to our survival.

Just off the coast of New England lies GeorgesBank, a shallow, sediment-covered plateau bigger than Massachusetts. Georges Bank hasplayed a key role in New England’s rich culturalheritage and was once one of the world’s mostproductive fishing grounds. Georges Bank supported a lucrative fishery for Atlantic cod andhalibut for over 400 years, but as bottom-trawling technology improved, fishermen becamevery efficient—sometimes catching as many codin an hour as older boats could catch in a season. Bottom-trawling also damaged criticaldeep-sea coral and sponge habitats. Many once-bountiful Georges Bank fisheries have yet to recover from large-scale overfishing, but federal fisheries regulations aim to ensure recovery and future sustainability. Now partiallyprotected from fishing, Oceanographer Canyon iscarved 6,600 feet deep into the Bank’s southernedge. Too steep to trawl, the canyon’s rocky outcroppings provide places where deep-seacorals and sponges can attach, creating habitatfor many other species of invertebrates and fish.

11GULF STREAM-CHARLESTON BUMP

Salinity, temperature, oxygen, light, nutrients,and other environmental factors define oceanhabitats in the pelagic realm above the seafloor.These factors are greatly influenced by the GulfStream—a current of very warm, salty water thatoriginates in the Gulf of Mexico, flows northwardalong the East Coast of the United States, andultimately mixes with the cold waters of theNorth Atlantic. In some places the Gulf Streamencounters seamounts and other obstacles in itspath. The Charleston Bump, a submerged area ofrocky outcroppings and cliffs, rises high enoughabove the seafloor to interfere with the GulfStream’s flow. This interaction of seafloor andcurrent causes turbulence and upwelling thatenhances plankton growth, attracting small fishwho in turn attract larger predators like swordfish, sailfish, and marlin. One of the most sensational discoveries in this region was the2002 sighting of the non-native red lionfish,Pterois volitans, a Pacific species with highly venomous spines. Beyond influencing the distribution of marine life, the warm Gulf Streamwaters can also affect climate in Western Europeand feed hurricanes that strike the Gulf Coast.

10The Puerto Rico Trench is the deepest place in the Atlantic Ocean, plunging more than five miles below sea level. Lying about 75 miles north of the island, this long, narrow gash in the seafloor extends to the east for nearly 1,100 miles. The region remains poorly understood, largely because its tremendous depth makes it difficult to study.Even remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) andother deep-sea research tools have not been able to reach the bottom of the trench, yet recent exploration cruises and mapping projects have begun to unravel the mystery. The Trench began to form about 70 million years ago, as the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates started to grind past each other along the Bunce Fault system.Named for a pioneering geophysicist, Dr.Elizabeth Bunce, this fault system is similar to the San Andreas Fault in California. Because Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands lie on this active plate boundary, tsunami-causing earthquakes and submarinelandslides are a real threat to nearly four million people.

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Ancient stewards of the ocean World’s largest marine protected area

Smokers on the ocean floorImpacts of climate change on sea iceHidden mountain ranges beneath the ocean

Marine life in California’s Grand Canyon

Living on the edge of an active plate boundary The North Atlantic’s heating system New England’s fishing heritage

Oil fields among salt domes Underwater treasures and safe haven for sea turtles

OCEAN EXPLORATION IN THE DEEP SEAOcean exploration is an exciting endeavor. It attracts a diversity ofscientists: biologists, archaeologists, engineers, ocean educators, andoceanographers. Modern technology and equipment enable them toexplore the ocean’s greatest depths leading to discoveries of bizarre species and ecosystems—many beyond our wildest

imagining. Throughout the history of ocean exploration, key individuals have helped bring the most remote ocean realms to light. Each of these seafaring adventurers contributed uniquely to the field of oceanography, making it their life’s mission to unravel the mysteries of the seas.

JACQUES COUSTEAUForever changing the realm of ocean exploration, Captain JacquesCousteau, co-inventor in of the

“Aqua-Lung,”the first modernSCUBA gear,provided anunparalleled inspiration formany of today’sgreatest marinescientists.

Cousteau revolutionized the wayhumans view the underwater world. Through countless books,films, and TV series he shared hispassion for the ocean. Cousteau’sadventurous spirit and devotion tothe sea continue to inspire newexploration.

DR. SYLVIA EARLEMarine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle,sometimes dubbed "Her Deepness," is an ambassador for the world’s

oceans. As oneof the best-known marinescientists, shehas led morethan 60 expeditionsworldwide,clocking over

7,000 hours underwater. She alsoholds numerous diving records. Shewalked untethered on the sea floor at a greater depth than any otherhuman being yet still manages to find magic in every step of ocean discovery.

DR. ROBERT BALLARDDr. Robert Ballard, one of the world’smost famous ocean explorers bestknown for his discovery of the Titanic

in 1985, revolutionizedundersea explorationthrough the use of ROVs.During one ofhis 100 deep-sea expeditions

in 1977, he discovered hydrothermalvents and their unique life-forms. Dr. Ballard’s life mission is to explorethe deep sea and to educate studentsand the general public about his workthrough the JASON Foundation forEducation and Immersion Presents.

DR. PETER AUSTERDr. Peter Auster, Science Director forthe National Undersea ResearchCenter, University of Connecticut, is

an ecologist andconservationbiologist whoseresearch focus ismarine fishes andtheir habitat. Hehas participatedin hundreds ofdives using

occupied submersibles and ROVs. Dr.Auster studies the role that marineprotected areas can play in conservation and sustainable use ofmarine biological diversity. NOAAnamed him an Environmental Herofor the Year 2000 for his ecologicresearch at the Stellwagen BankNational Marine Sanctuary.

PUERTO RICO TRENCH

The Dry Tortugas, seven small islands of coralrock and sand at the western end of the FloridaKeys, have some of the healthiest remainingcoral reefs in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. TheSpanish called these islands Tortugas, their wordfor turtles, because huge numbers of green seaturtles once grazed turtle grass in their shallows.After surviving and flourishing for millions ofyears—since dinosaurs walked the land—seaturtle populations are now severely depletedworldwide. People have killed them for theirmeat and eggs, and inadvertently drowned them in commercial fishing gear. The DryTortugas are now part of the Florida KeysNational Marine Sanctuary which provides saferefuge for endangered green and loggerhead sea turtles. Many coral reefs in the Florida Keysand the Caribbean have suffered from pollutionand overfishing, but the Tortugas are still hometo corals that are hundreds of years old as wellas sponges, octopuses, sea urchins, and a diversity of snappers, groupers, angelfish, andother reef fish. Many people visit Dry Tortugasand other marine protected areas for recreation,inspiration, and a chance to experience the wonders that the ocean holds.

Cold Warm

Charleston Bump

www.oceanexplorer.noaa

www.mcbi.org

www.skytruth.org

www.nmsfocean.org

www.ngsednet.org/oceans

SOUTHAMPTON OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE/IMAGEQUESTMARINE.COM

NPS SRC PHOTO BY JOHN BROOKS

MICHIO HOSHINO/MINDEN PICTURES

CHRIS FALLOWS/APEXPREDATORS.COM

JACQUES COUSTEAU - MEDFORD TAYLOR/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTIONSYLVIA EARLE - JAMES A. SUGAR/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION

ROBERT BALLARD - PRIIT VESILIND/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTIONPETER AUSTER - NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

KEVIN SCHAFER/CORBIS

INSTITUTE FOR MARINE REMOTE SENSING (IMARS), COLLEGE OF MARINE SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE; USGS; SPACE IMAGING

FALSE-COLOR IMAGE BY DR. URI TEN BRINK, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WOODS HOLE SCIENCE CENTER.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE 2000 GULF OF ALASKA SEAMOUNT SCIENCE PARTY, WHOI,AND NOAA OE; RELIEF IMAGES BY JOHN AMOS, SKYTRUTH; PATTON SEAMOUNT DATA PROVIDED BY OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES.

RELIEF IMAGE BY JOHN AMOS, SKYTRUTH

FREDERICK WILLIAM WALLACE/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION

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