A fascinating discovery of these sunken islands under the sea is a great impetus to explore the depths of the ocean and to understand it to a greater extent. It is especially intriguing that this discovery is known as the Canary Islands Atlantis, in Spain, revealing the existence of new seamounts in these islands (like Atlantis) located in the southwest of the archipelago.
Discovery of sunken islands and ancient seamounts: the Atlantis we have been looking for
The Drago 0511 scientific campaign revealed the existence of about eight sunken islands, which in the past were islands before sinking due to the cooling of the earth’s crust. According to marine geologists, some of these mountains are precursors of today’s Canary Islands.
The largest are between 90 and 35 km long, while the smallest range from 6 to 20 km. In addition to these findings, five additional seamounts were identified in the southern Canary Islands, already known as the “submarine grandmounts”, which have existed as seamounts for a long time.
Spanish marine geologists point out that these mountains, although they once formed islands, now lie submerged at depths of more than 300 meters. They refer to them as the “predecessors”. The team of geologists and scientists identified them during the study aimed at extending Spain’s continental shelf.
The natural extension of the Canary Islands: A five-year study
The team of scientists tasked with extending Spain’s continental shelf to the west of the Canary Islands identified the seamounts after five years of exhaustive mapping expeditions on the region’s seafloor. This discovery confirms that the area southwest of the islands is a natural extension of the emerged territory of the Canary archipelago.
The seamounts, which are found at depths ranging from 4000 meters to 300 meters underwater, represent ancient Canary Islands that have subsided due to the cooling of the earth’s crust. Some of them share similarities in shape with the present-day islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro.
According to data obtained from bathymetry, the largest seamounts are between 90 and 35 kilometers long, while the smallest range from 6 to 20 kilometers. These ancient islands rise more than 3,500 meters above the surrounding deep plains, offering an image similar to that of Mount Teide seen from the coast when viewed from the depths of the ocean.
Formation and evolution of sunken islands: Research in the Canary Islands
One of the most intelligent facts about these seamounts is that they are formed by a process similar to the one that gave rise to the Canary Islands, due to the activity of a hot spot that generates the melting of magma beneath the islands, causing it to rise from the deep sea.
Once formed, these mountains can give rise to the creation of islands or continue their sinking process due to cooling. The progressive flushing of island tops by the sea also contributes to this phenomenon. This allows scientists to better understand the natural evolution of the region.
Researchers have proposed about eight names for the Canary Island mountains to the International Hydrographic Commission. In addition, they have carried out scientific expeditions to the deep seabed of the Canary Islands from oceanographic vessels.
The curious thing is that they are located in the place where it was theorized that the legendary island of Atlantis could be found, although in this case they receive other names given by the Government of Spain, such as “the Grandmothers”, “the Mothers” or “the Embryos” (the latter will emerge in several million years).
The discovery of seamounts and ancient underwater islands in the depths off the coast of the Canary Islands represents an exciting advance in our understanding of the underwater world. These discoveries invite us to explore and better understand the geological evolution of the region, highlighting the importance of continuing to research and protect marine ecosystems for future generations.