Altimetry data informed us that this ridge feature existed and we selected it as a target for high-resolution bathymetric mapping. Much to our surprise, the ridge turned out to be over a full kilometer higher than previously thought.
Altimetry Data
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Mountains in the Deep: Exploring the Central Pacific Basin. Download larger version (jpg, 352 KB).

Altimetry data informed us that this ridge feature existed and we selected it as a target for high-resolution bathymetric mapping. Much to our surprise, the ridge turned out to be over a full kilometer higher than previously thought. This is one of the many reasons that high-resolution bathymetry mapping is so important — it allows us to better understand our planet.

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