June 21, 2021: Bathymetry
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Tropical Exploration 2015. Download larger version (jpg, 123 KB).
Happy World Hydrography Day! Hydrography is the science that involves measuring and describing the physical features of bodies of water. It plays an important role in exploration of the deep ocean, as having a good map of the seafloor is the first step in our exploration efforts.
This feature, which was mapped during the Tropical Exploration 2015 expedition, is likely a knoll, which is an underwater mountain. This knoll rises 500 meters (1,640 feet) above the surrounding seafloor and has sloped sides as steep as 38 degrees. The small sunken feature in the top of the mound could be a caldera.
From: What We're Discovering Along the Way.