Epipelagic
This surface layer is also called the sunlight zone and extends from the surface to 200 meters (660 feet). It is in this zone that most of the visible light exists. With that sunlight comes heat from sun, which is responsible for wide variations in temperature across this zone, both with the seasons and latitudes - sea surface temperatures range from as high as 97°F (36°C) in the Persian Gulf to 28°F (-2°C) near the North Pole.
Wind keeps this layer mixed and thus allows the sun's heat to be distributed vertically. The base of this mixing layer is the beginning of the transition layer called the thermocline.
Jordan 2022
The Jordanian coast represents the northern extent of the Gulf of Aqaba, a narrow body of water that connects the shores of Jordan, Egypt, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf possess a high degree of endemism which supports a flourishing and biodiverse marine ecosystem. In the shallows, coral reefs provide the architecture for a diverse assemblage of reef fish which have attracted diving communities from all over the world. Despite the fame of the coral reefs, limited attention has been directed towards the deep-sea portion of the Gulf, which can reach depths of 1,500 meters or more.
Science Objective
OceanX and researchers from the royal Hashemite Court of Jordan collaborated on a joint expedition to characterize the deep-sea habitats, conduct biodiversity inventories of the unique fauna in the region, and map the entirety of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Jordan from the shallows to the deep.
Science Accomplishments
- The entirety of the Jordanian EEZ mapped
- 13 CTD deployments; 105 samples collected
- 22 sub dives; 137 samples collected
- 10 ROV dives; 114 samples collected