Giant Undersea Volcanoes Found Off Antarctica
Mount Fuji-size peaks unexpected, scientists say.
All told a dozen previously unknown peaks were discovered beneath the waves—some up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) tall, according to the British Antarctic Survey.
The volcanoes were found near the U.K. territories of the South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands (see map) during a monthlong mapping expedition, which used multibeam sonar to fill in a 370-mile (600-kilometer) by 90-mile (150-kilometer) gap in existing seabed maps.
"It was amazing finding them," said Phil Leat, a geologist volcanologist with the survey. "There were so many of these volcanoes we had no idea about."
(See pictures of
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