What are we doing to the ocean floor?

kw: oceanography, myths, seismology

The supposed Atlantis on the ocean floor off the coast of Africa isn't the only set of odd markings down there. I also reported markings of a seismic survey in the Gulf of Mexico. Below is a short gallery of other seafloor markings that are probably all made by us. All images were made to a common scale, a 400x400 pixel image with a width of about 350 km (220 mi). The altitude of virtual view was 528 miles (850 km).


Off Bergen, Norway, at 64°N 3°E, at 2km depth and more, this large area of markings is not quite as regular as "Atlantis", but is the closest in appearance of these examples.


West of Ireland, at 54°N 17°W and 4km depth, we find these deep furrows spaced about 10km apart.


The markings here are hard to discern, even with some added contrast added to the image. It looks like traces of a 3D seismic survey running roughly parallel to the coast. There is a distinct kink near the center of this image. You may find it easier to go to the coordinates noted and look from a closer elevation. This image is off North Carolina, but the whole survey stretches north to Cape Cod: 33°N 75°W to 38°N 68°W. That is hundreds of kilometers.


Off Los Angeles, 32°N 122°W, at a depth of 5km: The image is a portion of a large area with furrows spaced 25-30 km apart. These differ in appearance and orientation from a regular set of geological faults further to the north.


South of the Aleutian Islands, 46°N 158°W to 50°N 176°W, from the edge of the continental shelf to 6km depth, these markings are spaced 15-20 km apart, over a huge area.

It may be that one or more of these formations has a natural cause, but certainly not all do. Such artifacts, over areas larger than many nations on land, are difficult to conceive. Interestingly, areas where I expected to find lots of markings, such as the southern North Sea, the South China Sea, and the Newfoundland Banks, appear to have none. I haven't even looked south of the Equator. What these show is that our impact on the ocean floor, seemingly out of reach several kilometers down, is widespread and profound.