Chinese scientists uncover formation of global seamounts
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Published: 10 June 2026
Computational modeling of Earth's interior over 270 million years reveals that deep mantle plumes generate all oceanic seamounts, explaining the origins of over 40,000 underwater mountains worldwide.
Keywords: seamounts, mantle plumes, marine geology, ocean floor, plate tectonics, deep earth, volcanic
Loss of sea ice stabilizes Atlantic circulation
University of Bergen Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Published: 15 June 2026
Bjerknes Centre researchers found that declining Arctic sea ice opens new deep-water formation regions, potentially compensating for reduced formation elsewhere and stabilizing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
Keywords: Arctic sea ice, Gulf Stream, AMOC, ocean circulation, deep water formation, climate change, Barents Sea
E/V Nautilus launches 2026 Pacific mapping expedition with new deep-sea sonar
Ocean Exploration Trust
Published: 9 June 2026
Ocean Exploration Trust launched the NA178 expedition from Hawaii to Guam, deploying a new Kongsberg EM 304 MKII multibeam sonar that doubles deep-sea mapping capability for charting uncharted Pacific seafloor.
Keywords: deep-sea mapping, multibeam sonar, E/V Nautilus, Pacific Ocean, seafloor, Seabed 2030, ocean exploration
