New England Seamounts

New England Seamounts
The New England Seamounts
Location
Location North Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates 37°24′N 60°00′W / 37.400°N 60.000°W / 37.400; -60.000Coordinates: 37°24′N 60°00′W / 37.400°N 60.000°W / 37.400; -60.000

The New England Seamounts are an underwater chain of seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean stretching over 1,000 km from the edge of the Georges Bank off the coast of Massachusetts. The chain consists of over twenty extinct volcanic peaks, many rising over 4,000 m from the seabed.[1][2] It is the longest seamount chain in the North Atlantic and harbours a diverse range of deep sea fauna.[2] Scientists have visited the chain on various occasions to survey the geologic makeup and biota of the region. The chain forms part of the Great Meteor hotspot track, having formed by the movement of the North American Plate over the New England hotspot. The oldest volcanoes that were formed by the same hotspot are northwest of Hudson Bay, Canada. Part of the seamount chain is protected by Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

This seamount range has been known under a variety of different gazetted names, including the Kelvin Seamounts, Kelvin Seamount Group, Kelvin Banks, New England Seamount Chain and the Bermuda-New England Seamount Arc.[3]

Formation

Bear Seamount

The New England hotspot, also referred to as the Great Meteor hotspot, formed the White Mountains 124 to 100 million years ago when the North American continent was directly overhead. As the continent drifted to the west, the hotspot gradually moved offshore. On a southeasterly course, the hotspot formed Bear Seamount, the oldest in the chain, about 100 to 103 million years ago. Over the course of millions of years, it continued creating the rest of the seamounts, eventually culminating in the Nashville Seamount about 83 million years ago. As the Atlantic Ocean continued to spread, the hotspot eventually "travelled" further east, forming the Great Meteor Seamount south of the Azores, where it is found today.[4] The New England Seamounts were once at or above sea level. As time passed, however, and the chain moved farther away from the New England hotspot, the crust cooled and contracted, sinking back down to the ocean. The peaks are now all a kilometer or more below the surface.

Some animals from the New England Seamounts: gorgonian soft coral, a brisingid sea star, and sponges

Biota

The seamount chain provides a unique habitat for deep sea marine creatures. Coral formations grow on the rocky outcrops, resembling underwater forests that provide shelter for invertebrates and fish.[5] Due to the expenses and difficulties of studying the deep ocean, little was known of the creatures that inhabited the New England Seamounts. In fact, before recent expeditions, there was only one known coral species in the entire chain.[2] Marine biologists caught and classified over 203 species of fish and 214 species of invertebrates on the Bear Seamount in various exploratory studies since 2000.[2] This range of diversity suggests that other seamounts may harbour more unknown macro-organisms. In fact, during one survey, a species of cutthroat eel believed to be found only near Australia was identified.[6] Corals, echinoderms, and crustaceans make up a large portion of the creatures found on the seamount. These organisms act as indicator species, identifying potential problems in the ecosystem.[2]

Seamounts

Map of the New England Seamounts showing the locations of Bear, Kelvin and Manning seamounts

The New England Seamounts include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Yale Peabody Museum: Invertebrate Zoology: Deep Sea Fauna from New England Seamounts". Yale Environmental News. Yale University. 2004. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ivar Babb (2005). "The New England Seamounts". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  3. ↑ "Marine Gazetteer Placedetails". Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  4. ↑ "Geological Origin of the New England Seamount Chain". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Department of Commerce. 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  5. ↑ Susan Mills (2005). "Seamount Coral Communities". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  6. ↑ Petit, Charles (2004-08-08). "Denizens of the deep: In obscure marine ecosystems, clues to the origins of life". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  • "New England Seamount Chain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  • Overview of Studies of NW Atlantic Seamounts for the ISA. International Seabed Authority.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.