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ABOARD THE JEAN CHARCOT – As we continue to float two-plus miles above the wreck of the Titanic, there was a significant scientific development Friday.
The Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) nicknamed “Ginger” and “Mary Ann” that were launched earlier this week to crisscross the ocean floor and retrieve information have now come home to the ship.
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They left on a pre-determined route: “Ginger” traveled north and south and “MaryAnn” traveled east and west.
As they traveled about 40 yards above the sea bed, following a pattern like “mowing the yard,” the two AUV’s fired outside-scan-sonar.
Woods Hole Oceanographic teams working with the Waitt Institute, which owns the AUV’s, have now downloaded the side-scan sonar.
The picture that is emerging is a first of its kind, stunning image of the five-mile, by three-mile area where the Titanic came to rest.
The images are color-coded, but with some expert input, what you may not see at first glance becomes quite obvious.
Titanic expedition leader David Gallo says this is an “awesome” moment.
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He and his team knew the Titanic broke into two pieces, but nobody realized the debris field was a large as it is.
Upwards of 40 percent of the area where the Titanic sank has never been mapped or documented – until now.
Up next: 3-D images. If all goes according to the plan, those images will come to the surface by Saturday morning.
This underwater geology is science you can clearly follow with a good expert, so click on the video to follow what the maps mean.
Related links from Kerry Sanders:
Underwater equipment launched in Titanic search
Keeping an eye on the weather enroute to Titanic wreckage
Diving down to document Titanic debris
Leave a Comment:
Amazing what we can do when we focus on productive endeavors.
And since every forum discussion on MSNBC eventually devolves into meaningless political rhetoric no matter WHAT the original topic, allow me to be the first to say what a shame it is that President Obama's actions caused the Titanic to sink in the first place, and for that he should be impeached.
Larry,
I am not sure why you would even post something like that but it does deserve a response. I am not sure what White House press briefing or main street news you watch but the only person blamed by this administration for anything bad, even current events, is Bush. And no I am not a Republican and I would have voted for Hillary in a heartbeat. The only thing Obama takes credit for is anything Good that happens and then he alone is the one that performed that miricle. The good news is that the American people recognize their mistake. They should have voted for Hillary and they will fix their mistake in a little over two years. Hopefully she will reconsider and run. What can be blamed on Bush, a lot! But at this point, our lives today and our lives in the future would have been far better off with Bush or Hillary and not someone who lies and deceives the American people to get into office. Do I sound like a Republican? I hope that I come across as an American that knows the mistake he made and wishes that we had made a different decision as do the majority of Americans. Hillary, please help us!
I keep hearing people say that Obama is such a liar, but I never hear what exactly these people think he has lied about. They seem to think he is some devious person who has systematically and deliberately mislead the American people into thinking ... what, exactly? I do see that he has said he would do some things that he has been unable to do, but I don't think he didn't intend to do them. Since he has no magic wand and congress makes the laws, he requires help to accomplish some of the things he promised and he is not receiving that help. So how, exactly is he so much more of a liar than either Hillary or Bush, or any other politician, for that matter? Politicians always promise things they are unable to deliver, that's how politics works, but I don't see what these people find so despicable about Obama in particular. So he has a different governing philosophy than you, but he did get elected. I don't find him that much different than who I voted for, other than that he has not been as progressive as I would have liked. Somehow, I don't think that is what you all are objecting to.
Now I now you cannot be a "MORON" but that statement pretty much puts you in that category.
Er... if I might interrupt... I read a book about the Titanic in 1965, and for 20 years waited -- almost breathlessly -- for 20 years for someone to find the wreck. I am convinced the ship sank because its bottom was ripped off by the shoulder of the iceberg... the shoulder that forms right below the waterline of an iceberg due to lapping waves. What a series of "what ifs...." What if they'd left an hour earlier/later... What if they had binoculars... What if they'd punched the iceberg with their nose rather than scrape alongside. All that work by so many people, and oh, the humanity. Imagine the few workers who "won" a trip on the maiden voyage for their hard work. Tsk.