“The world doesn’t know that Chile has underwater mountains” – 2024-08-27 17:02:01

The Andes mountain range is part of Chile’s identity. High mountains accompany the landscape throughout the country, but they are not the only ones. They are also present in the depths of the sea. The oceanographer Javier Sellanes Lopez participated in a scientific cruise to explore the seamounts of the Southeast Pacific.

The expedition of the Schmidt Ocean Institute led by the professor of the Catholic University of the North, Javier Sellanes explored the seamounts along the Nazca and Salas y Gómez ridges, both within and outside Chile’s jurisdiction, to collect data that could support the designation of an international marine protected area on the high seas.

“Chile is known for its white mountain range, it is the iconic image of Chile, but what not everyone knows is that Chile has underwater mountain ranges that rival the Andes mountain range in size and extension,” said Professor Javier Sellanes.

The scientist was this Saturday in Biobío Port of Ideas Presenting the new species discovered aboard the research vessel Falcons.

During the expedition, scientists used an underwater robot, capable of descending to depths of 4,500 meters, to collect data from ten seamounts that will be used to advance Chile’s marine protection efforts.

“These mountains are home to what we call a treasure that most people don’t know about and that we want to make visible,” he said.

“These seamounts have biological communities that have been largely undisturbed for a long time, and are therefore quite susceptible to human activities and climate change,” he added.

Sellanes also explained that an important part of the expedition aboard the Falkor is the inclusion of the communities that live in the study territories. In light of this, the Rapanui artist Serafina Heirangi Moulton was also on board the ship.

“This experience fills me with knowledge so I can return to my place of origin and share it with them,” he said.

The artist composed the song “Great Ocean of Hiva” inspired by the Pacific Ocean.

“The song I wrote has to do with love for the ocean, love for nature, nature is me, I am nature and for me it is vital to be able to respect it and take care of it because if I don’t do it it’s because I’m not taking care of myself, I’m not loving myself mainly,” he explained.