Congress has authorized the U.S> Board on Geographic Names to standardize and approve geographic names for use throughout the federal government.
Three seamounts in the Pacific Ocean now bear names honoring the contributions to science made by NOAA and its partners in ocean exploration during a campaign led by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). Seamounts are just what their name implies, mountains in the sea. Usually of volcanic origin, they are defined as seafloor features that are at least, and often more than, 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) tall.
Two of these seamounts are located south of Midway Islands within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which protects the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
The Okeanos Explorer Seamount was named to honor NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer for the role it played in the seamount's discovery. OER scientists first mapped the 1,436-meter (4,711-foot) feature using shipboard mapping sonars and then explored it with OER’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer during the 2016 Hohonu Moana expedition.
Continue reading at NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
Image via NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
