List of Figures

1. Bathymetry of the cruise area (from Bathymetry of Northeast Atlantic, sheet 5, scale 1:2.400.000, 1983, P.M. Hunter, R.C. Searle and A.S. Laughton eds.)
2. 1st Leg, Naples-Funchal (Madeira) routes map. GMT 4.0 software.
3. 2nd Leg routes map. GMT 4.0 software.
4. Left: Urania R/V in the Naples harbour before sailing for the Atlantic, October 18, 2005 and right: in Funchal (Madeira) on November, 3, 2005.
5. Scheme of the interfaces of the MB echosounder system
6. Acquisition display of PDS2000. Top window: swath with quality (colour) assigned to each beam
7. Left: Geometrics G-811 Proton magnetometer. Right: sparker 1KJ EG&G.
8. 1st Leg geophysical survey routes acquired over the three seamounts.
9. Ampere smt. Navigation lines (MB, CH and some MG). In background the regional bathymetry from Gebco Digital Atlas. Coordinates UTM zone 28.
10. Ampere smt. preliminary bathymetry. Contour interval 100 m Coordinates UTM zone 28.
11. Unicorn smt. Navigation lines (MB and CH). In background the regional bathymetry from Gebco Digital Atlas. Coordinates chilometric UTM zone 28.
12. Unicorn smt, preliminary bathymetry. Contour interval 100 m Coordinates chilometric UTM zone 28.
13. Seine smt navigation lines (MB, CH and MG). Blue lines are the infilling routes over the top of the smt. In background the regional bathymetry from Gebco Digital Atlas. Coordinates chilometric, UTM zone 28.
14. Seine smt, preliminary bathymetry. Contour interval 50 m. Coordinates chilometric, UTM zone 28.
15. Seine smt. Shaded relief map of the DTM at the end of the 1st leg. DTM cell size is 50x50m.
16. Seine smt. Shaded relief map of the DTM after infilling and aboard pre-processing. DTM cell size is 50x50m.
17. Seine smt. Magnetic profile (above) matched with bathymetric profile. Trace of profile on the right. Although preliminary (not subtracted to the IGRF and not reduced to the pole) note that the magnetic anomaly is in the order of 400-500 nTesla.
18. Sub-bottom profile across the Ampére  smt. Note poor or null penetration over the top of the seamount due to rocky outcrops or to coarse bioclastic sands.
19. Detail of sparker profile CL_1 acquired on Seine Seamount and preliminary interpretation. Note the gentle tilting of unit 2 , seemingly associated with low-angle truncation of strata at the sea-floor.
20. Dredge and grab locations.
21. Bioclastic sands from the top of Ampére  seamount. Grabs A-BN-1, A-BN-02.
22. Bioclastic sands from the top of Ampére  seamount. Grabs A-BN-1, A-BN-02.
23. Bioclastic fine sands (and partly silts and clays) from the flank of Seine smt
24. Bioclastic fine sands (and partly silts and clays) from the flank of Seine smt. Grab S_BN11.
25. Location of dredging stations over the south-eastern flank of Seine smt.
26. Seine smt, DR_01 dredge haul. Rocks: Vescicular and massive, microcrystalline basalt; Clast-supported bioclastic "hardgrounds" calcarenite. Benthos: Gastropods (Ranella olearia, Charonia lampas); Anthozoans (Dendrophillia sp); Solitary Corals; Echinids and small Ophiuridae.
27. Seine smt, DR_02 dredge haul. Rocks: Clast-supported bioclastic "hardground" calcarenite. Benthos: Sponges; Anthozoans (Callogorgia verticillata); Brachiopods (Terebratulidae); Gastropods (Neosimnia s); Polychaetes.
28. Seine smt, DR_03 dredge haul. Pyroclastic and lava rock fragments (cm size); Serpulids; weathered coral.
29. Seine smt, DR_04 dredge haul. Rocks: Vescicular, partly glassy, basaltic scoria (several samples very fresh); porphyritic intrusive rock (gabbro?). White foraminiferal-algal limestone. Hazelnut planktonic floatstone in packestone to mudstone matrix. Clast-supported, poorly cemented, beige bio-lithoclastic calcarenite recalling hardground. Bioclasts include gastropods bivalves, echinoid fragments, corals. Benthos: wheathered Ostrea shells; Porifera; Polychaetes.
30. Unicorn smt dredge locations..
31. U_DR_07 (depth 1017-1101m) Dredge haul with fragments of blackish, glassy basalts with intercalation of probably chert, with planctonic forams (Orbulina sp., Globigerinatheka sp., Globigerina sp., Globorotaliidae).
32. Unicorn seamount, U_DR_08 (depth 1000-800) dredge haul. Blackish basalts with fragments of fine-grained arenites-siltites containing abundant well-rounded quartz grains. Hardground crust incorporating planctonic forams, secondary benthonic (Pyrgo sp. and Miliolidae). Surface colonisation by sponge, bryozoans and serpulids.
33. CTD cast n.1, Ampéresmt, 10-24-2005. Temperature and salinity departures from standard profile between 700 and 1200 m suggest occurrence of Mediterranean waters eddy.
34. CTD cast n.2, Ampéresmt, 10-24-2005. Comments as in fig.33
35. CTD cast n.3, Ampéresmt, 10-24-2005. Data were acquired only until 80 m just on top of the seamount.
36. Unicorn smt, CTD cast 4, 10-27-2005. Also here the occurrence of a Meddy seems confirmed by data.
37. Unicorn smt, CTD cast 5, 10-27-2005. Also here the occurrence of a Meddy seems confirmed by data.
38. Seine smt SVP 1 (n 6 in sequential order), 11-06-2005. Water column during the 2nd leg was explored until 1000 m with the SVP probe due to the lost of the CTD rosette.
39. Seine smt, SVP 2 (n 7 in sequential order), 11-06-2005. Comments as in previous figures.
40. Seine smt, SVP 3 (n 8 in sequential order), 11-06-2005. Comments as in previous figures.
41. Unicorn smt, SVP 1 (n 9 in sequential order), 11-06-2005. Comments as in previous figures.
42. Surface sea-water parameters (temperature) while cruising. Note the lows at Gibraltar and Bonifacio straits (arrows).
43. Surface sea-water parameters (conductivity) while cruising. Note the lows at Gibraltar and Bonifacio straits (arrows).
44. Atmospheric pressure while cruising. Note the two cyclonic depressions (arrows).
45. True wind speed while cruising. Note the two cyclonic depressions (arrows).
46. 1st Leg Scientific party.
47. 2nd Leg. Scientific party. From left in the background: Maria, Sara, Alessandra, Nicola (sailor with helmet), Benedetta, Rossella, Imma, Erica; in the foreground: Mauro, Marco Barra, Marco Sacchi, Marco Trovato, Piero and Marcello. On the gangway: Sandra.