[Coral-List] Newly discovered reef (?) is taller than a skyscraper

Thu Nov 5 17:34:05 UTC 2020

I have to check this article again for details, but it appears that the newly found structure is technically a guyot, a flat top submerged seamount. Guyots are usually volcanoes that are emergent when formed, then get flattened as they subside below sea level by wave action and subaerial erosion. If this happens in the tropics in an area favorable to coral reef formation, you basically get the Darwinian atoll formation sequence. If after the atoll stage the structure continues to subside, it becomes a drowned reef like the many found to the NW of the Hawaiian Island chain. Rick Grigg wrote extensively about all this and came up with the Darwin Point as the latitude and depth at which coral reef growth can't keep up with subsidence (or sea level rise). I am guessing that is the origin of this newly found structure. I am pretty sure there are hundreds more out there that humans haven't come across yet. 

In my opinion, they are just drowned reefs that will suffer the same fate of any deeper reef as sea level and ocean temperatures continue to rise. Again, a lot of hype by the press and people with little background in coral reef geology (or marine geology in general). New seamount but not novel or promising or different.

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-----Original Message-----
From: Coral-List <coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> On Behalf Of Kosmynin, Vladimir via Coral-List
Sent: Wednesday, November 4, 2020 3:34 PM
To: douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: [Coral-List] Newly discovered reef (?) is taller than a skyscraper

Doug,
The news about 500 m tall "coral reef" runs everywhere in press/internet.  It is very interesting discovery, and I spent evening watching nice video recorded from ROV.  Just one comment, which would be in the stream of this long conversation about origin of reefs and atolls, importance of geomorphology, and appropriate use of terminology. Discovered relief feature is not a reef; it is coral bank. The depth of 42 m on top of this relief feature tells us that this is not a reef by definition. Somebody would ask, if this  bank used to be a coral reef in the past.  Yes, when sea level was around 42-45 m below present, it was a reef. Was it coral reef or not can be answered by drilling and confirming if it was built or at least capped on top by substantial (meters) growth of reef-building corals.  The origin of this relief feature would need to be studied to state, for example, this this is submerged coral reef, and what it was growing on.

I think it was already mentioned, that there is no "deep-water" coral reefs, or "mesophotic coral reefs" - these are all coral banks, by definition.
I guess excessive use of term "coral reef" caused by the same desire to attract attention, as was mentioned about "Darwin was wrong" article.

Using the occasion, I would like to appreciate all who participated in the discussion about origin of atolls and Darwin's work, and especially David Blakeway for his advice to young scientists to read more old publications (which is applicable also to quite a few of not so young scientists as well).

Regards,

Vladimir Kosmynin

Message: 4

Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2020 10:17:15 -1100

From: Douglas Fenner <douglasfennertassi at gmail.com<mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>>

To: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov<mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>>

Subject: [Coral-List] new reef is tall

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Newly discovered reef is taller than a skyscraper https://secure-web.cisco.com/1kXYQikWQhsyy0Sbmq0_RER8yO-BGlw3-EpmG1L2oKVZO1qi60t2iaVmIqITZod8eSG9i7r2tCrZCiH6eTTA-xk6uDqYZnrDSKWhTJA8q4AwNDiqceqnlP-guNTN3jCbglgat3LWhMAOIiLalthKFfT3dnZ9jYV8aaZf7yivMseiOZSYhzC835XTl4R5-d1odJAx_lRx9kjPV9ssO8zvMdhRwkRQUVGLg9GsFymuVPsnmK-tUSXBIh149Rd7pE6GYn6bo8oX_MsuG861TnguOaz-hoIdXNkHMpljvw1-CIpZfno0-1nfj8gCHlvB9I5g6aWng0Ta_8uZi4PHZDsMesTLGKl3r63z9AmqHO8xifKQ/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencemag.org%2Fnews%2F2020%2F10%2Fnewly-discovered-reef-taller-skyscraper

Australian scientists discover 500 meter tall coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef- first to be discovered in over 120 years https://secure-web.cisco.com/1VEVZyzWv9953hsgqb0Hx8fSWcBcQGUSZSO-Bmooh92b9p_mtJqyb-UfA4jwqiTKe_QfnwSyBnJ6vBeDL8YrnnZ3RnTkKr2cKgaBerVE3WoVXd65zBSTzPS_jzOppudd76VDllVO2mQ2I_rhQ__GWe0hzNy2pWNVVERMAaCo8QO-oe_jcu4WxMw_8CE7Lbh2b_vIuXsW1In4m0dQc-a_28wkGFgNRIdRdoKu_uHZJYoitm4Mg10VUGyMZtcGTkSY9PHjn4_voBCu-T4Hlyo4SwBYYKit1kAproU7WqmkSNi_EMNrmhvAOw41ju4HvaHxaYRKOSWhfRk7oRFOXhVUTDg/https%3A%2F%2Fschmidtocean.org%2Faustralian-scientists-discover-500-meter-tall-coral-reef-in-the-great-barrier-reef-first-to-be-discovered-in-over-120-years%2F

Cheers, Doug

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