Ocean Science for Everyone

Seamounts

Learn About Seamounts

Seamounts are underwater mountains with steep sides rising off the seafloor. They are often remnants of extinct volcanoes and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are found in every world ocean basin, and data suggests that the number of seamounts at least 1,000 meters high is greater than 100,000. Despite their abundance, less than one-tenth of a percent of the seamounts in the world have been explored.

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Seamounts

Bathymetric Imagery of Seamounts
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The team on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer collected new bathymetry data of the New England Seamounts during the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamount Chain expedition. The data are shown, overlaid on the Global Multi-Resolution Topography Data Synthesis grid.

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Corals of Sibelius Seamount
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With structure for animals to settle and live on and currents supplying food and nutrients, seamounts often support a high variety of life, or biodiversity. During an expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to explore Sibelius Seamount, the team observed this coral garden. This garden of coral was one of two high-density communities observed during the dive.

Okeanos Seamount
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This image shows the topography of the Okeanos Explorer Seamount. The seamount was named after NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, which played a key role in its discovery in 2016. Colors represent water depth in meters as defined in the color key.

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All Resources

Fact Sheet
What is a Seamount?
English•Spanish
Lesson•Grades 9-12
Student Investigation: Seamounts and Biological Pr...
Lesson•Grades 6-8
Student Investigation: Formation of Seamounts and ...
Multimedia•Video
Deep-Sea Dialogues: Seamounts
Multimedia•Video
Geology and Biology of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Expedition
Voyage to the Ridge 2022
Expedition
Luʻuaeaahikiikekumu - Ancient Seamounts of Liliʻ...
Expedition
Microbial Ecosystem Services on Seamounts in the P...
Multimedia•Image
New Bathymetry Data
Multimedia•Video
Life Two Miles Down
Multimedia•Video
What Could Have Formed This?
Multimedia•Video
All New Exploration

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