May 17 - 24, 2002
This spring, scientists explored the first undersea island to be called a seamount. Davidson seamount, located 120 km Southwest of Monterey, California, is one of the largest known seamounts in U.S. waters. Although these geological features have been known about for quite some time, only recent technological advances allow for comprehensive studies.
The exploration team was led by scientists from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Collaborators included the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Background information for this exploration can be found on the left side of the page. Daily updates are included below. More detailed logs and summaries of exploration activities can be found on the right.
Updates & LogsClick images or links below for detailed mission logs.
Video about seamount formation. (QuickTime, 1Mb)
Follow sperm whales with the science team. (QuickTime, 1Mb).
Watch a video clip of the amazing creatures that inhabit this submerged volcano (QuickTime, 830k).
Watch a video of the ROV collecting samples (QuickTime, 1.1 Mb).