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Circles in the Sediment
Throughout Dive 03 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition, heavily sedimented areas of the seafloor were observed to have a number of circular bioturbations, ranging in size from 10 centimeters to nearly a meter in width Examination of these features with a scoop did not unearth any explanation for how they were formed. Some possible explanations suggested by the science team included buried echinoderms, amphipod burrows, feeding disturbance, or nesting patterns.