Abyss - a synonym for the deep sea. (The deeper parts of the ocean, all of which lie in darkness or where sunlight penetrates too weekly to support photosynthesis. Often thought as as the depths beyond the continental shelves, the deep is usually estimated as covering about 65 percent of the Earth's surface, or nearly two-thirds of its exterior.)
Abyssal plain - the floor of the deep sea extending outward from a continental rise or an oceanic trench.
acorn worm - a type of marine invertebrate whose head resembles an acorn, found down to depths exceeding three kilometers (two miles). Not a true worm but a member of the phylum Hemichordata, these animals burrow in the sand and mud. Lengths range from inches to over six feet. Some acorn worms are brilliant in oranges, reds and yellows.
Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate - a project begun by Scripps in the 1900s to measure the overall temperature of the Pacific and any changes therein by broadcasting sound waves across its breadth and measuring subtle changes in their trail time over years and decades.
Advanced tethered vehicle - a 20-foot Navy robot that can dive to depths of 6 kilometers, or 3.7 miles. It has three arms and many still and video cameras, which send images up fiber-optic cables to shipboard operators at the service.
Bibliography
The Universe Below: Discovering the Secrets of the Deep Sea, William J. Broad. Simon & Schuster, 1997
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