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Huge underwater volcano chain discovered off the coast of Tasmania

  

Category:  Health, Science & Technology

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  6 years ago  •  10 comments

Huge underwater volcano chain discovered off the coast of Tasmania
The find offers a glimpse into a previously unknown marine ecosystem — and spotlights just how little we know about the seafloor.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



By   Denise Chow

While mapping the seafloor some 250 miles off the coast of the Australian island of Tasmania, scientists recently discovered what’s being called a   “volcanic lost world”   deep underwater.

The chain of   volcanic seamounts   — huge undersea mountains that loom as tall as 9,800 feet, or more than six times taller than the Empire State Building — offer a glimpse into a previously unknown ocean ecosystem.

The   seamounts vary in size and shape , with some having sharp peaks and others having plateaus, Tara Martin, a researcher with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Hobart, Tasmania, said in a statement. But even the tallest seamounts were still at least 6,500 feet below the ocean’s surface.

The scientists also encountered an unusual abundance of marine animals in the area, including humpback and long-finned pilot whales as well as albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds.

The unexpected discovery, made by scientists aboard the organization's research ship Investigator during a 25-day mapping expedition, highlights just   how little we really know about the bottom of the ocean .

“We’ve only mapped a tiny fraction of the ocean floor,” said Andrew Fisher, a marine geologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not involved in the new discovery. “We have more   detailed maps of Mars , Venus and the moon than we do of the seafloor. Other planetary bodies can be mapped in high resolution with satellites, but on Earth, the water layer gets in the way. The only way is to go out with ships.”

More than  80 percent of the ocean remains unmapped and unexplored , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s because it’s difficult and time consuming to create detailed seafloor maps. Sonar-equipped research vessels like the Investigator must make a series of passes over an area in a process Fisher likened to mowing a lawn.

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Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Expert
1  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.    6 years ago

This is a major discovery. This is a massive volcanic system. With so little of the sea floor mapped, this might be a call to map our ocean's floor. 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
2  Kavika     6 years ago

It is a major discovery. We know so little about the ocean that I would hope in the future we spend more time and money discovering the place that 7 billion of us call home.

 
 
 
shona1
Professor Quiet
2.1  shona1  replied to  Kavika @2    6 years ago

Crickey..this is down my neck of the woods...All around my area there are extinct volcanoes and plugs etc...So hope these don't decide to become active on day...jrSmiley_55_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
2.1.1  Kavika   replied to  shona1 @2.1    6 years ago

I don't think you have to worry about that Shona....I had a plug put in them decades ago.jrSmiley_2_smiley_image.png

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3  Sparty On    6 years ago

I think thats right in the "ring of fire" isn't it?  

Doesn't that extend down past (south of) Australia?

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
3.1  Kavika   replied to  Sparty On @3    6 years ago

The ''Ring of Fire'' run north of Australia and to the east.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1.1  Sparty On  replied to  Kavika @3.1    6 years ago

Yeah that was kinda my point.  

Maybe this discovery might extend it further south and west than previously known.   It kinda hooks around Australia from the north and to the east.

Interesting.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
3.1.2  Kavika   replied to  Sparty On @3.1.1    6 years ago

It certainly possible that the ring could extent south of Australia. Presently in encompasses New Zealand which is almost directly east of Australia and over to Chile. 

It will be interesting to see further information on this.

 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
5  dave-2693993    6 years ago

I hope this is okay.

A link from the seeded article contains additional information. Among other things there is speculation the volcano chain and included marine ecosystem may provide a roll in migratory paths. Following the link takes you to more undersea images and marine life photos.

Scientists uncover volcanic lost world off the Tasmanian coast

Scientists studying ocean productivity have uncovered a volcanic lost world teeming with marine life off the Tasmanian coast.

The lost world was uncovered during detailed seafloor mapping by CSIRO research vessel Investigator while on a 25-day research voyage led by scientists from the Australian National University (ANU).

The mapping has revealed, for the first time, a diverse chain of volcanic seamounts located in deep water about 400km east of Tasmania.

The seamounts tower up to 3000m from the surrounding seafloor but the highest peaks are still far beneath the waves, at nearly 2000m below the surface.  

Dr Tara Martin, from the CSIRO mapping team, said the mapping offered a window into a previously unseen and spectacular underwater world.  

“Our multibeam mapping has revealed in vibrant detail, for the first time, a chain of volcanic seamounts rising up from an abyssal plain about 5000m deep, Dr Martin said.

"The seamounts vary in size and shape, with some having sharp peaks while others have wide flat plateaus, dotted with small conical hills that would have been formed by ancient volcanic activity.

“Having detailed maps of such areas is important to help us better manage and protect these unique marine environments, and provides a stepping stone for future research. 

“This is a very diverse landscape and will undoubtedly be a biological hotspot that supports a dazzling array of marine life,” she said. 

Ship data collected during the voyage revealed spikes in ocean productivity over the chain of seamounts, with increased phytoplankton activity and marine animal observations in the area.  

Dr Eric Woehler from BirdLife Tasmania, who was on Investigator with a team conducting seabird and marine mammal surveys, was astounded by the amount of life they saw above the seamounts.  

“While we were over the chain of seamounts, the ship was visited by large numbers of humpback and long-finned pilot whales,” Dr Woehler said. 

“We estimated that at least 28 individual humpback whales visited us on one day, followed by a pod of 60-80 long-finned pilot whales the next.

We also saw large numbers of seabirds in the area including four species of albatross and four species of petrel.”  

“Clearly, these seamounts are a biological hotspot that supports life, both directly on them, as well as in the ocean above,” he said.  

Research indicates that seamounts may be vital stopping points for some migratory animals, especially whales.

Whales may use these seafloor features as navigational aids during their migration.  

“These seamounts may act as an important signpost on an underwater migratory highway for the humpback whales we saw moving from their winter breeding to summer feeding grounds,” Dr Woehler said.  

“Lucky for us and our research, we parked right on top of this highway of marine life!”  

The life and origin of the seamounts will be further studied later this year when Investigator returns to the region for two further research voyages departing in November and December.

A range of surveys will be conducted on these voyages, including capturing high resolution video of marine life on the seamounts using deep water cameras, and collecting rock samples to better understand their formation and origin.  

Dr Woehler will be on the first of these voyages and expects further surprises on the return visit.  

“We expect that these seamounts will be a biological hotspot year round, and the summer visit will give us another opportunity to uncover the mysteries of the marine life they support,” said Dr Woehler.  

Research vessel Investigator is Australia’s only research vessel dedicated to blue-water research, and is owned and operated by CSIRO – Australia’s national science agency. The vessel conducts research year round, and is made available to Australian researchers and their international collaborators.
 
 

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