who has gone the deepest in the ocean
Challenger Deep
In 2014 , a study was conducted regarding the determination of the depth and location of the Challenger Deep based on data collected previous to and during the 2010 sonar mapping of the Mariana Trench with a Kongsberg Maritime EM 122 multibeam echosounder system aboard the USNS Sumner ( T - AGS - 61 ) . This study by James . V. Gardner et al. of the Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping - Joint Hydrographic Center ( CCOM / JHC ) , Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory of the University of New Hampshire splits the measurement attempt history into three main groups : early single - beam echo sounders ( 1950s - 1970 's ) , early multibeam echo sounders ( 1980s - 21st century ) , and modern ( i.e. , post-GPS , high - resolution ) multibeam echo sounders . Taking uncertainties in depth measurements and position estimation into account the raw data of the 2010 bathymetry of the Challenger Deep vicinity consisting of 2,051,371 soundings from eight survey lines was analyzed . The study concludes that with the best of 2010 multibeam echosounder technologies after the analysis a depth uncertainty of ± 25 m ( 82 ft ) ( 95 % confidence level ) on 9 degrees of freedom and a positional uncertainty of ± 20 to 25 m ( 66 to 82 ft ) ( 2drms ) remain and the location of the deepest depth recorded in the 2010 mapping is 10,984 m ( 36,037 ft ) at 11 ° 19 ′ 48 '' N 142 ° 11 ′ 57 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 11.329903 ° N 142.199305 ° E ﻿ / 11.329903 ; 142.199305 . The depth measurement uncertainty is a composite of measured uncertainties in the spatial variations in sound - speed through the water volume , the ray - tracing and bottom - detection algorithms of the multibeam system , the accuracies and calibration of the motion sensor and navigation systems , estimates of spherical spreading , attenuation throughout the water volume , and so forth .
In 2014 , a study was conducted regarding the determination of the depth and location of the Challenger Deep based on data collected previous to and during the 2010 sonar mapping of the Mariana Trench with a Kongsberg Maritime EM 122 multibeam echosounder system aboard the USNS Sumner ( T - AGS - 61 ) . This study by James . V. Gardner et al. of the Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping - Joint Hydrographic Center ( CCOM / JHC ) , Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory of the University of New Hampshire splits the measurement attempt history into three main groups : early single - beam echo sounders ( 1950s - 1970 's ) , early multibeam echo sounders ( 1980s - 21st century ) , and modern ( i.e. , post-GPS , high - resolution ) multibeam echo sounders . Taking uncertainties in depth measurements and position estimation into account the raw data of the 2010 bathymetry of the Challenger Deep vicinity consisting of 2,051,371 soundings from eight survey lines was analyzed . The study concludes that with the best of 2010 multibeam echosounder technologies after the analysis a depth uncertainty of ± 25 m ( 82 ft ) ( 95 % confidence level ) on 9 degrees of freedom and a positional uncertainty of ± 20 to 25 m ( 66 to 82 ft ) ( 2drms ) remain and the location of the deepest depth recorded in the 2010 mapping is 10,984 m ( 36,037 ft ) at 11 ° 19 ′ 48 '' N 142 ° 11 ′ 57 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 11.329903 ° N 142.199305 ° E ﻿ / 11.329903 ; 142.199305 . The depth measurement uncertainty is a composite of measured uncertainties in the spatial variations in sound - speed through the water volume , the ray - tracing and bottom - detection algorithms of the multibeam system , the accuracies and calibration of the motion sensor and navigation systems , estimates of spherical spreading , attenuation throughout the water volume , and so forth .