Litke Deep

Litke Deep is a very deep part of the ocean in the Arctic Ocean. It is one of the deepest spots on Earth, with its bottom lying about 5,449 meters, or 17,877 feet, below sea level.

What makes Litke Deep special is that it is the closest point on Earth's surface to the very center of our planet. This is because it sits near the North Pole, where Earth is slightly flattened. Even though it is very deep, it is not as deep as the famous Challenger Deep, which is farther from Earth's center by about 14.7 kilometers.

Litke Deep is also the second deepest point in the whole Arctic Ocean. The deepest point there is called Molloy Deep. Scientists study these deep ocean places to learn more about our planet's shape and the creatures that live in the deep sea.

Topography

Location

The Litke Deep is found in the southwestern part of the Eurasian Basin. This area stretches from northeastern Greenland past the Svalbard archipelago, Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya to the Taymyr Peninsula. It lies south of the underwater ridge called the Gakkel Ridge, about 350 kilometers northeast of Svalbard and roughly 220 km north of the island of Nordaustlandet. The deepest part of the Litke Deep is 5,449 metres (17,881 feet) below sea level.

Closest point to Earth's center

Although the Challenger Deep is deeper below sea level, the Litke Deep is considered the closest point on Earth's surface to its center. This is because Earth is shaped like a squashed ball, being flatter at the poles and thicker at the equator. Because of this shape, the Litke Deep is about 14.7268 km (9 mi) closer to Earth's center than the Challenger Deep.

Surveys

The Litke Deep was found in 1955 by a Russian icebreaker called Fyodor Litke. It is named after the explorer Fyodor Petrovich Litke.

Descents

No people or robots have gone down to Litke Deep as of 2024.