Seen & Heard: Deep sea coral reefs and lava in Iceland

“Seen & Heard” is a monthly feature of GPS World magazine, traveling the world to capture interesting and unusual news stories involving the GNSS/PNT industry.

Photo: NOAA Ocean Exploration

Exploring the Largest Deep-Sea Coral Reef

Scientists have mapped the largest deep-sea coral reef, stretching hundreds of miles off the U.S. Atlantic Coast. While researchers have known since the 1960s that some corals were present off the Atlantic Coast, the reef’s size remained a mystery until new underwater mapping technology made it possible to construct 3D images of the ocean floor. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a team of scientists recently published maps of the reef in the journal Geomatics. The reef extends for about 310 miles from Florida to South Carolina. The total area is nearly three times the size of Yellowstone National Park.

Photo: ESA

Lava in Iceland

Grindavík, a tiny town in Iceland, stands on the brink of volcanic lava flow in images captured by the European Space Agency (ESA). The lava originates beneath the Svartsengi volcano system — roughly 2.5 miles north of the town — which erupted on December 18 and January 14. ESA’s Sentinel2 satellite revealed the glow of the lava flow’s heat, not far from houses and other infrastructure within Grindavík. The town, with just 3,800 residents, has faced constant evacuations, as well as mini-earthquakes as a result, The Guardian reported.

Photo: Maris Maskalans / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

Lidar Reveals Lost Cities in the Amazon

In the Amazon rainforest, archeologists have discovered a vast and highly complex system of ancient cities dating back nearly 3,000 years. Located in Ecuador’s Upano Valley, the structures lie in the eastern foothills of the Andes mountains, according to a study published in the journal Science. After more than 20 years of research, the ancient urban centers were only discovered when the Ecuadorean government employed lidar technology. Researchers from France, Germany, Ecuador and Puerto Rico conducted a lidar survey that covered roughly 300 km2, which revealed a landscape full of organized human activities, including more than 6,000 rectangular earthen platforms, as well as agricultural terraces and drainage systems. According to the study, these structures formed at least 15 distinct settlements, which were connected by a system of wide, straight roads.

Photo: nickalbi / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

Tracking Cattle from Space

Australian scientists are attempting to track 1,000 cattle and buffalo using artificial intelligence (AI), and GPS satellites, reported euronews.next. An estimated 22,000 cattle and buffalo roam free in a remote area of Arnhem Land, Australia, though the exact number is unknown. Scientists are now collaborating with stockmen and indigenous rangers in a four-year program that involves monitoring feral animals from space. Titled SpaceCows, the remote herd management system is backed by the Australian government’s Smart Farming Partnership initiative. Local rangers and stockmen are chasing and catching animals to attach solar-powered tags with GPS receivers.