东沙群岛海区海底泥火山上拍摄到深水生物——自主研发的水下相机试验取得重要发现

Deep-water faunas photographed on submarine mud volcanoes in the Dongsha Islands area-important discoveries in the tests of newly developed underwater cameras

通过自研的便携式水下相机,在东沙群岛西北海区水深250~350m的地球物理成像的泥火山上拍摄到了大量深水底栖活体生物、化石和自生碳酸盐结核,其中含有丰富的深水珊瑚、玻璃海绵、海葵、海百合及鱼虾螺贝等。拍摄结果进一步指示了东沙群岛西北部海区存在活跃的甲烷泄漏及泥火山活动。

On the geophysics-imaged mud volcanoes over the northwest Dongsha Waters,a large number of deep-water benthic living organisms,fossils,and authigenic carbonate nodules were photographed by our newly developed portable underwater camera on 250-350 m deep seafloor.The organisms comprise abundant deep-water corals,glass sponge,sea anemone,sea lily,fish,shrimp,lobster and bivalve.The photographs further revealed that active methane leakage and mud volcanic activity in the Dongsha Islands area.