3,200-Foot-Tall Underwater Volcano With Strange Bundt Cake-Like Shape Found off the Coast of California

An uncrewed sailing drone came across an underwater volcano that was previously unknown, located within a proximity of 200 miles (322 km) from the coast of Northern California.

Its height is around 3,200 feet (975 m) more than the seafloor and approximately 3,200 foot (975 meters), which falls just short of the required size for a seamount of about 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Seamount Shape Like a Bundt Cake

Despite its unconventional appearance as a tall, steep-sided mountain with a visible crater, oceanographers have classified the feature as a seamount due to its characteristics as an underwater mountain with an extinct volcanic origin, Live Science reported.

While seamounts can rise above sea level and form islands, this particular seamount remains fully submerged with its striking shape located 200 miles off the coast of northern California. The discovery of this seamount expands the known range of such features beyond coastal areas.

The strange shape of the seamount distinguishes it from most others, which typically feature sloped sides. Aurora Elmore, program manager for NOAA's Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, told SFGATE that the underwater volcano is interesting because it is really steep and rises from the bottom of the seafloor with a tower shape, unlike typical seamounts with sloped sides.

The Saildrone Surveyor, the largest uncrewed ocean mapping vehicle, detected the seamount which stands out from the usual seamount location. The team initially likened it to a Bundt cake due to its unique round shape, steep sides, and curved top that slopes into a central crater.

The origin of the seamount's doughnut shape is uncertain. It could have resulted from rapid volcanic activity or a buildup of marine debris over millennia that sharpened the slope of the feature. Although similar formations can be found elsewhere on the ocean floor, this particular seamount's size and shape are relatively rare.

Saildrone Surveyor's Mission

The Saildrone Surveyor, which embarked on a journey through the North Pacific in July 2022, discovered an unknown underwater feature in February.

According to a statement, the ship initially mapped the unexplored contours of the seafloor around Alaska's Aleutian Islands before heading along the coast of California. The discovery of the underwater mountain has been described as exciting by Jon Copley, a professor of deep-sea ecology and ocean exploration at the University of Southampton, due to the fact that underwater anomalies are rare to find.

Seamounts, like the newly discovered underwater mountain, are crucial for marine life as they provide hard, rocky surfaces that creatures can attach to, which is not easy to find in the deep sea.

Copley told Live Science that seamounts can be too steep for mud to stick to, enabling certain animals to flourish on its sides, which creates strong currents for filter feeders to grow and catch their food. Deep-sea coral and sponge gardens have been seen to grow on seamounts, making them important habitats.

The discovery will provide further insight into the geological features within the Pacific Ocean and the ecosystem it supports. Such discoveries will aid scientists in their efforts to understand the ocean and develop solutions to protect marine life.

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