Editing Seamount (section)

==Exploration==
[[File:Sealevel chart.jpg|thumb|right|Graph showing the rise in global sea level (in mm) as measured by the [[NASA]]/[[CNES]] oceanic [[satellite altimeter]] [[TOPEX/Poseidon]] (left) and its follow-on mission [[Jason-1]]]]

The study of seamounts has been hindered for a long time by the lack of technology. Although seamounts have been sampled as far back as the 19th century, their depth and position meant that the technology to explore and sample seamounts in sufficient detail did not exist until the last few decades. Even with the right technology available,{{Clarify|date=February 2014}} only a scant 1% of the total number have been explored,<ref name=seasci/> and sampling and information remains biased towards the top {{convert|500|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=EoE-seamount/> New species are observed or collected and valuable information is obtained on almost every [[submersible]] dive at seamounts.<ref name="seasci-sig">{{cite press release |title=Seamounts identified as significant, unexplored territory |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100430091605.htm |work=ScienceDaily |publisher=National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |date=30 April 2010 }}</ref>

Before seamounts and their oceanographic impact can be fully understood, they must be mapped, a daunting task due to their sheer number.<ref name=EoE-seamount/> The most detailed seamount mappings are provided by [[Multibeam echosounder|multibeam echosounding]] ([[sonar]]), however after more than 5000 publicly held cruises, the amount of the sea floor that has been mapped remains minuscule. [[Altimeter#Satellites|Satellite altimetry]] is a broader alternative, albeit not as detailed, with 13,000 catalogued seamounts; however this is still only a fraction of the total 100,000. The reason for this is that uncertainties in the technology limit recognition to features {{convert|1500|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} or larger. In the future, technological advances could allow for a larger and more detailed catalogue.<ref name="oceanography-census">{{cite journal |last1=Wessel |first1=Paul |last2=Sandwell |first2=David T. |last3=Kim |first3=Seung-Sep |title=The Global Seamount Census |journal=Oceanography |date=2010 |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=24–33 |doi=10.5670/oceanog.2010.60 |jstor=24861056 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Observations from [[CryoSat-2]] combined with data from other satellites has shown thousands of previously uncharted seamounts, with more to come as data is interpreted.<ref>Amos, Jonathan. "[https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29465446 Satellites detect 'thousands' of new ocean-bottom mountains]" ''[[BBC News]]'', 2 October 2014.</ref><ref>"[https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/new-map-exposes-previously-unseen-details-seafloor New Map Exposes Previously Unseen Details of Seafloor]"</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Sandwell | first1 = David T. | last2 = Müller | first2 = R. Dietmar | last3 = Smith | first3 = Walter H. F. | last4 = Garcia | first4 = Emmanuel | last5 = Francis | first5 = Richard | year = 2014 | title = New global marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 reveals buried tectonic structure | journal = Science | volume = 346 | issue = 6205| pages = 65–67 | doi = 10.1126/science.1258213 | pmid=25278606| bibcode = 2014Sci...346...65S | s2cid = 31851740 }}</ref><ref>"[http://www.space.dtu.dk/english/Research/Projects/Cryosat_4Plus Cryosat 4 Plus]" ''[[DTU Space]]''</ref>