Researchers from a US-based oceanographic institute have identified and mapped four seamounts rising from the deep waters off the coasts of Peru and Chile. The tallest among them reaches a height of 2.68 kilometers. The discovery was documented during a scientific expedition aboard the Falkor, the research vessel operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
The other three peaks were measured at heights of 1591 meters, 1644 meters, and 1873 meters, respectively. The team’s work expanded our understanding of the seafloor topography in this region and highlighted how modern voyages can reveal previously unseen features of the underwater landscape.
Scientists determined that these seamounts are remnants of extinct volcanic activity. Their massive scale is such that gravitational anomalies they create can be detected from space, using satellite measurements. This relation between gravity signals and underwater landforms offers a powerful tool for mapping the seafloor without the need for constant direct sampling.
“Studying gravitational anomalies is a powerful way to map Earth’s topography, and when we applied these techniques we uncovered very large seamounts,” explained the expedition leader, John Fulmer, highlighting the value of gravity-based methods in marine geology.
Despite their impressive size, the peaks do not surpass the records held by the world’s largest seamount, Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Mauna Kea’s total height, including both its underwater and above-water portions, is about 10.2 kilometers, which places it well beyond these newly discovered features in terms of overall vertical extent.
In parallel to these findings, researchers have previously noted that large underwater structures can influence marine life, ocean currents, and local gravity fields. The discovery of these four seamounts adds to the growing catalog of features that shape the dynamics of the southeastern Pacific Ocean and surrounding marine ecosystems. The data collected during this expedition will inform future studies on volcanic activity, plate tectonics, and seafloor mapping, underscoring the importance of using integrated observational approaches in ocean science.