An imposing mountain of more than 3,000 meters discovered under the waters of the Pacific Ocean

expedition – Off the coast of Chile, a 3,109-meter-high seamount has been discovered

Oceanographers recently made a spectacular discovery off the coast of Chile: a 3,109-meter underwater mountain, CNN reports. The mountain, located in the Pacific Ocean, is part of an underwater chain called the Nazca Ridge. It was spotted by a team from the Schmidt Ocean Institute during a 28-day expedition this summer aboard the research vessel Falkor (too).

Rare species observed

Using a sonar system, the researchers were able to map the mountain. Jyotika Virmani, the institute’s executive director, explained the method: “The sound waves come down and bounce off the surface, and we measure how long it takes for them to come back and be measured. That gives us a very good idea [de la topographie du fond marin] ».

But this mountain is more than just an impressive peak. The exploration revealed fascinating biodiversity nearby, including a Promachoteuthis squid, filmed for the first time, and a white octopus nicknamed “Casper” because of its ghostly appearance. The researchers also observed Bathyphysa siphonophores, nicknamed “flying spaghetti monsters.”

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