| Davidson Seamount | |
|---|---|
 Bathymetric map of Davidson Seamount. | |
  | |
| Summit depth | 4,101 ft (1,250 m)[2] |
| Height | 7,480 ft (2,280 m)[2] |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 35°43′N 122°43′W / 35.717°N 122.717°W[1] |
| Country | California, United States |
| Geology | |
| Type | Seamount (underwater volcano) |
| Age of rock | 9–15 million years [3] |
| Last eruption | ~9.8 million years ago[2] |
| History | |
| Discovery date | 1933[4] |
Davidson Seamount is a seamount (underwater volcano) located off the coast of Central California, 80 mi (129 km) southwest of Monterey and 75 mi (121 km) west of San Simeon. At 26 mi (42 km) long and 8 mi (13 km) wide, it is one of the largest known seamounts in the world.[4] From base to crest, the seamount is 7,480 ft (2,280 m) tall, yet its summit is still 4,101 ft (1,250 m) below the sea surface. The seamount is biologically diverse, with 237 species and 27 types of deep-sea coral having been identified.[2]
Discovered during the mapping of California's coast in 1933, Davidson Seamount is named after geographer George Davidson of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Studied only sparsely for decades, NOAA expeditions to the seamount in 2002 and 2006 cast light upon its unique deep-sea coral ecosystem. Davidson Seamount is populated by a dense population of large, ancient corals, some of which are over 100 years of age. The data gathered during the studies fueled the making of Davidson Seamount into a part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2009.
- ^ "Seamount Catalog". Seamount database. Earthref.org, a National Science Foundation Project. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Davidson Seamount: In 2009, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Expanded To Include The Davidson Seamount Management Zone". NOAA (Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary). 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
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