Sea Level - Not!


Ocean planet surprise: This new map shows that, like the land, the ocean surface has hills, valleys, and mountains. Things such as undersea mountains make the ocean surface bulge upward, and deep canyons on the ocean floor make the surface dip downward. Red and pink areas show where the sea level is highersometimes up to 280 feet taller than the surrounding sea. Blue and green areas show where the ocean is lower. None of these features is visible to the naked eye. The images come from a radar-equipped satellite operated by the European Space Agency.

Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan

gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428
Judith Gradwohl, Smithsonian Institution (Curator/Ocean Planet)