Researchers have discovered more than 19,000 new underwater volcanoes on the ocean floor.
Known as seamounts, the undersea mountains are formed by volcanic activity and support a “dazzling array of marine life,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Researchers have used vertical gravity gradient maps to locate the seamounts, discovering 19,325 previously-undetected ones.
“The better we understand the shape of the sea floor, the better we can prepare [for climate change],” John Lowell, chief hydrographer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) said.
