China's first 10-km-deep water-column-spanning array, a kind of most advanced scientific equipment for deep-sea exploration, was successfully deployed in the Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench Experiment in December 2017.

The task was led by Professor Yang Yixin of Northwestern Polytechnical University and supported by the Ocean University of China, the Institute of Acoustics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the First Institute of Oceanography State Oceanic Administration.

After one year of preparation in achieving the design, development, detection and demonstration of Mariana Trench acoustic observation technology to a depth of 10 km, the Challenger expedition offered the first glimpse of deep ocean basins and other characteristics of the ocean floor.

The trial also gathered important data for further study of deep-sea acoustic propagation characteristics.

The Mariana Trench or Marianas Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans. It is located in the Western Pacific. For comparison, if Mount Everest were dropped into the deepest point of the trench, its peak would still be over 1.6 km underwater.