A Vital Ocean Corridor | Unexplored Seamounts of the Salas y Gómez Ridge - Week 1

The Salas y Gómez Ridge is a series of underwater mountains extending off the coast of Chile. Although the region is understudied, it is known to provide essential habitats for deep-sea organisms. An international and multidisciplinary team (led by Dr. Erin E. Easton of the U.S. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) aims to explore these southeast Pacific seamounts during the forty-day #SalasyGomezRidge expedition. Using the technology and powerful data tools available on R/V Falkor (too), the team will gather data - including maps, samples, acoustic reading and more - while assembling critical information to document the region’s biodiversity and support the designation of one of the first high-seas marine protected areas along the Salas y Gómez Ridge.