Hidden Mountain Range Found Above Earth's Strongest Ocean Current Between Tasmania and Antarctica [Study]

A hidden mountain range was found above Earth's strongest current, in the waters between Tasmania and Antarctica, according to an Australian government-led study that has not yet been peer-reviewed.

The underwater mountain range reportedly consists of several dormant volcanoes, which scientists believe date back to ancient times, thousands or millions of years ago, long before rising sea levels swamped them.

There are other mountains found hidden in the depths of the world's oceans. However, the undersea mountain range discovered between the said Australian island state and the icy continent has never been seen before.

Based on prevailing research, these natural underwater structures are widely called a seamount, which is a large submarine landform that rises hundreds or thousands of feet from the seafloor without even reaching the water's surface.

Hidden Mountain Range

The uncovering of the hidden mountain range in the southern part of Earth was made by researchers from the Australian government agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). The discovery occurred while the scientists were on board the research vessel (RV) Investigator in the Southern Ocean.

In a news release on Tuesday, December 19, CSIRO announced its findings on the underwater mountain range that was made possible by using seafloor mapping and satellite. These methods detected a highly energetic "hotspot" in the world's strongest current, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica.

The RV Investigator surveyed an area of 20,000 square kilometers below layers of swirling currents to the seafloor 4,000 meters below the water surface. Since then, the vessel has been working in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current over the last five weeks to determine how heat-leaking across the natural barrier contributes to melting Antarctic ice shelves and potential sea level rise, according to the news release.

The research voyage chief scientist, Dr. Benoit Legresy, stated the ocean has absorbed over 90% heat due to global warming and around 25% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, which makes the body of water a "climate shock absorber."

What is a Seamount?

A seamount is an underwater mountain that has steep sides rising from the sea floor, as mentioned earlier. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the majority of seamounts are remnants of extinct volcanoes.

Yet, an undersea mountain can only be classified as a seamount if its structure has a vertical relief of at least 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above the surrounding seafloor. Seamounts are found in all ocean basins of the world. Although the exact count of seamounts is unknown, they are estimated to be very numerous, the NOAA says.

Out of all the undersea mountains, the mid-ocean ridge is Earth's longest mountain range, spanning 40,389 miles around the globe, according to the NOAA's National Ocean Service. Approximately 90% of the mid-ocean ridge system is situated under the ocean and is formed by the planet's moving tectonic plates, the US government agency adds.