Oceanography Timeline

By Samanthaalcaide

  • Coral Atolls

    Charles Darwin publishes a paper which had suggested that coral atolls are the concluding stage in the subsidence and erosion of volcanic islands(Scientific research)

  • The First Oceanographic Research Vessel

    The U.S. Fisheries Commission steamer Albatross begin in the year 1882, operating as the first ship built that served as an oceanographic research vessel. This iron filled, twin-screw steamer has conducted major marine research for almost 40 years until its final decommission in 1921 (scientific research)

  • The very deep sea

    Charles Wyville Thomson finds sea life at 4,389 meters down(14,400 feet), completely breaking the previous theories going around saying that the sea was lifeless below 549 meters (1,800 feet). (Scientific Research)

  • Marine Survey of the South Pacific

    Alexander Agassiz had made many extremely long research voyages to the South Pacific where he collected data and specimens from remote ocean regions. Marine’s increasing improvement in the status of international politics and economy, an immense amount of complex changes have been taking place in the transaction of international waters. (Scientific research)

  • Titanic Sinking

    The Titanic sinks after hitting an iceberg which had killed 1,500 people. This sinking led to efforts to develop an acoustic device to find objects ahead of a vessel.The ship's builders had of course claimed that four of the compartments could be flooded without endangering the liner's buoyancy, but clearly proved false even after the thought that the Titanic was pronounced unsinkable.(Helped future research to prevent this from happening again)

  • First Acoustic Exploration of the Seas

    Reginald Fessenden uses an oscillator(a device for generating oscillatory electric currents or voltages by nonmechanical means) to bounce a signal simultaneously off an iceberg and the seafloor. Thus creating the first acoustic exploration of the seas. (Scientific research)

  • The Creation of the Aqua-Lung

    Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan modify a demand breathing regulator to engineer the Aqua-Lung which had forever changed the human interaction ways with the sea. It was known as the first open-circuit, self-contained underwater breathing scuba to achieve worldwide popularity and success. This piece of equipment is now commonly referred to as a diving regulator, or demand valve. (Scientific research)

  • Discovery of Magnetic Striping on Ocean Floor

    The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey ship Pioneer, joined in a joint project with the U.S. Navy and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to tow the first marine magnetometer. WHile down there their finds are shocking. A magnetic striping on the seafloor off the West Coast was found adding key elements to the theory of plate tectonics.(Scientific research)

  • Deep Tow System

    Known as the forerunner of all remotely operated unmanned oceanographic systems.It is a deep ocean floor survey system that can be outfitted with sonar and towed through any water at low speeds at the end of a cable measuring several thousand meters in length (Scientific research)

  • Submersible Deep Dives

    The Deep Submergence Vehicle was constructed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. It was the first U.S.-based deep-diving submersible that has now made over 4,400 descents and led to numerous ocean floor discoveries. (Scientific research)