Vema Seamount
Seamount in the South Atlantic east of Cape Town / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Vema Seamount is a seamount in the South Atlantic Ocean. Discovered in 1959 by a ship with the same name, it lies 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) from Tristan da Cunha and 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) northwest of Cape Town. The seamount has a flat top at a mean depth of 73 metres (40 fathoms) which was eroded into the seamount at a time when sea levels were lower; the shallowest point lies at 26 metres (14 fathoms) depth. The seamount was formed between 15-11 million years ago, possibly by a hotspot.
Vema Seamount | |
---|---|
Summit depth | 26 metres (14 fathoms) |
Summit area | 13 square kilometres (5 sq mi)[1] |
Location | |
Coordinates | 31°38′S 8°20′E[2][3] |
Geology | |
Type | Guyot |
Age of rock | 11.00 ± 0.3 million years old |
History | |
Discovery date | 1959 |
Discovered by | RV Vema |
The seamount rises high enough that its summit is at shallow depth, allowing sunlight to reach it and thus permitting the growth of kelp and algae. A number of sea animals and fish are encountered on the seamount; active fisheries existed at Vema Seamount and caused the disappearance of some animal species.