New England Seamounts

The New England hotspot, also referred to as the Great Meteor hotspot, formed the White Mountains 124 to 100 million years ago when the North American continent was directly over the zone. As the continent drifted to the west, the hotspot gradually moved offshore. On a southeasterly course, the hotspot formed Bear Seamount, the oldest seamount in the chain, about 100 to 103 million years ago. Over the course of millions of years, the hotspot continued to create the other seamounts in the chain, culminating about 83 million years ago with the creation of the Nashville Seamount. As the Atlantic Ocean continued to spread, the hotspot eventually "travelled" further east, forming the Great Meteor Seamount south of the Azores, where it is located today. The New England Seamounts were once at or above sea level. As time passed, however, and the chain moved farther away from the New England hotspot, the crust cooled and contracted, and the chain sank into the ocean. All the peaks are now a kilometer or more below the surface. ==Biota==

soft coral, a brisingid sea star, and sponges The seamount chain provides a unique habitat for deep sea marine creatures. Coral formations grow on the rocky outcrops, resembling underwater forests that provide shelter for invertebrates and fish. Due to the expense and difficulties of studying the deep ocean, little was known of the creatures that inhabited the New England Seamounts. In fact, before recent expeditions, there was only one known coral species in the entire chain. Corals, echinoderms, and crustaceans make up a large portion of the creatures found on the seamount. These organisms act as indicator species, identifying potential problems in the ecosystem. ==Seamounts==

The New England Seamounts include: • Allegheny Seamount • Asterias Seamount • Balanus Seamount • Bear Seamount (National Monument) • Buell Seamount • Gerda Seamount • Gilliss Seamount • Gosnold Seamount (guyot) • Gregg Seamount (guyot) • Hodgson Seamount • Kelvin Seamount (guyot) • Kiwi Seamount • Manning Seamount • Michael Seamount • Mytilus Seamount (National Monument) • Nashville Seamount • Panulirus Seamount • Picket Seamount • Physalia Seamount (National Monument) • Rehoboth Seamount (guyot) • Retriever Seamount (National Monument) • San Pablo Seamount • Sheldrake Seamount • Vogel Seamount (guyot) ==See also==