Sensors help explore the "freshwater ocean" and how freshwater resources should be developed

Recently, the US media reported a piece of news from the magazine "Scientific Reports". The news stated that scientists from Columbia University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution spent ten days using towed electromagnetic transmission. A scientific research ship with a sense of urgency discovered the "freshwater ocean" hidden under the sea. This discovery may give people access to freshwater resources that are isolated from the outside world, as the report emphasized: "It may be an important water source for other parts of the world."

There is no doubt that this achievement is worthy of excitement among scientific researchers and even the people. However, as one of the silent "contributors" behind this discovery, should the development of sensor technology also be praised? Woolen cloth?

In fact, the use of electromagnetic waves to find freshwater resources is not a rare thing. There was news about using electromagnetic waves to find underground water a long time ago. But unlike searching for groundwater, exploring freshwater resources in the ocean faces more demanding environmental factors. First of all, the ocean is a saltwater environment. If you want to find freshwater resources in this environment, you need to accurately measure the propagation mode of electromagnetic waves in freshwater and saltwater, which poses a huge problem to the accuracy of the sensor. In addition, the ocean itself is a humid and changeable environment, and seawater is corrosive to a certain extent. If the sealing and overall firmness of the sensor are not good enough, it is very likely that it will be damaged due to the bumps of the ship or long hours of work. Or damaged by sea water splash.

In other words, this success is inseparable from the significant development in accuracy and quality of electromagnetic sensors over the years.

However, we cannot only look at the immediate benefits and ignore the actual long-term development. Although humans have now discovered the distribution of "freshwater oceans" on the seabed, if they cannot be used rationally, the result will often be man-made disasters.

To put it simply, we must first have a preliminary understanding of the surrounding water quality and geology, and establish a preliminary plan through instrumental measurements to facilitate subsequent mining; the second is to ensure the seabed freshwater mining technology mature to ensure that this technology will not cause fluctuations in the geological structure of the seabed, and will not causeMarine pollution; the last is a complete mining plan to ensure that seabed freshwater resources are not over-exploited.

Of course, as far as water resources are concerned, perhaps underground freshwater resources are not the appropriate direction. In fact, throughout history, surface fresh water and shallow groundwater have always been the main water resources for people, nurturing the development of human civilization. In other words, if water resources had not been polluted, the problem of scarcity of fresh water resources might not have developed to this day. Therefore, the editor feels that while studying "freshwater oceans", how to further protect existing water resources, improve the water source environment, and control water pollution are topics that need to be paid attention to in the direction of water resource utilization.

　Editor’s comment:

In the case of insufficient water resources, the development of freshwater resources is an important way to alleviate the water crisis. an important way. Today, sensors are helping scientists discover "freshwater oceans." We also hope that with the help of more scientific instruments, scientists can quickly establish a complete set of water resource extraction strategies to alleviate the freshwater crisis.

　(Original title: Sensors help explore “freshwater oceans” and how freshwater resources should be developed)