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Scientists have discovered a magnificent "lost world" volcanic off the coast of Tasmania.
Experts from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the 'Investigator', made the discovery while mapping the seabed 249 miles east of Tasmania. The project is led by scientists from the Australian National University. CSIRO is Australia's national science agency.
A chain of "seamounts", or undersea mountains, have been spotted in deep waters, providing a first glimpse of a spectacular "underwater world".
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Scientists say the mountains rise more than 300 meters from the seabed, but the highest peaks are still 6,562 feet below the waves.
Seamounts have been discovered off Tasmania
(CSIRO)
"Our multibeam mapping revealed for the first time in great detail a chain of volcanic seamounts rising from an abyssal plain of about 5,000m." [16,404 feet] Teacher. Tara Martin, from the CSIRO Mapping Team, in a statement. "Seamounts vary in size and shape, some having sharp peaks while others have broad flat plateaus, dotted with small conical hills that would have been formed by ancient volcanic activity."
The region is also full of marine life. "While we were above the chain of seamounts, a large number of pilot whales and large pilot whales visited the ship," said Dr. Eric Woehler of BirdLife Tasmania, who was aboard the ship research to study seabirds and marine life. "We estimated that at least 28 individual humpback whales visited us one day, followed by a group of 60 to 80 pilot whales the next day. We have also seen a large number of seabirds in the area, including four species of albatrosses and four species of petrels. "
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Research suggests that seamounts could be an important "stop-over point" for some migratory animals, particularly whales, which could use underwater functions to facilitate navigation.
The region is full of marine life, such as humpback whales, according to scientists (© Eric Woehler).
"These seamounts can be an important indicator on an underwater migration route for humpback whales that we have seen move from winter breeding to summer feeding grounds," said Woehler.
Additional surveys from the region will be conducted during the research trips planned for November and December.
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Research is the latest scientific project to shed new light on the depths of the ocean. In 2013, scientists published the results of a separate study analyzing seabed sediments off the coast of Peru. The study revealed that a wide range of microbes were growing deep below the ocean floor.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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