The geographical position of Motu Motir Hiva (Sala y Gomez) is 26 ° 27'S, 105 ° 28'W
For its geographical location, La Isla Salas y Gómez is strongly marked by the characteristics of the equatorial oceanic climates. Its relative humidity is an annual average of 77%, reflecting the prevailing oceanic character there. The average annual precipitation is 1,126 mm, concentrating them in late autumn and early winter. The average minimum temperatures are 15.5 º C and maximum average is 27.3 º C.
La Isla Sala y Gomez as the island territory, is located in the Nazca plate, its origins are volcanic and geological dating from the Plio-Pleistocene (Gonzalez-Ferran, 1987).
The absolute age is determined by the potassium-argon method is 1.3 million years (Gonzalez-Ferran, 1987). For the entire island rocks that structure have been recognized three units, the lowest rate at andesitic-basaltic lavas of olivine (mugearitas) dark gray to red, the intermediate unit corresponds to calcareous marine sedimentary deposits rich in remains of corals and shells ( coquina type), which have no more than a meter thick and are upraised to over eight meters above sea level. The upper unit corresponds to another flow of andesitic-basaltic lavas.
The volcanic rocks represent the latest eruptions of a large central submarine volcano whose base is 3,500 meters deep on the ocean floor of the Nazca plate. This volcanic massif extends over 50 km and has recognized a small platform that develops around the island at a depth ranging between 119 and 121 meters.
Salas y Gómez is a volcanic island of low altitude and very flat, its maximum height is 30 m, which correspond to the peak of a large subaerial seamount (Fisher and Norris, 1960), is composed of volcanic rocks that represent the latest eruptions central and perhaps the first sub-areas of a large submarine volcano whose base is about 3500 meters deep on the ocean floor of the Nazca plate. This volcanic massif extends over 50 km southwest from the island. It has also developed a small platform around the island at a depth ranging between 119 and 121 meters, is elongated northeast-southwest direction, with a minimum width south of the island of 2.5 km. Around and about 2 km northwest of the costs of room and Gomez, with a shape similar to a horseshoe, with a maximum length of 700 m in an east-west and a maximum width of 400 m from north to south. This structured by several basaltic lava flows, its surface is uneven and in parts shows morphological features typical of lava "aa", interspersed with lava levels cordate PAHO-hoe type. At low levels, the presence of abundant pebbles and fragments Bolognese is indicating that the island is often affected by heavy swells.
On the island there are hardly any beaches and coastlines are covered by volcanic rocks that make it difficult to approach from the sea.
Have not observed the presence of a volcanic pipe, but it seems certain that there is a current eruptive center in the bay south of the island. The island is structured around two poles connected by a narrow and its height is in the Punta Lopez. The central area of the island which coincides with the narrowest sector, is covered by high tides.
The island was colonized by grasses that carpet the floor and some tussock species as cushions adapted to the sea wind.
Sala y Gomez to be inserted in subtropical waters, biodiversity has an important ichthyologic in the region of the southeastern Pacific ocean pelagic, purely oceanic species of major economic importance in the southeastern Pacific are tuna (four species), debris, sharks and swordfish . These fish species do not have big schools and their diversity is approximately 280, representing 12.5% of all known species (Lowe-McConnell, 1977). These fish are mostly fast swimmers and hydrodynamic shapes that give minimal resistance to movement and by their carnivorous habits, status and behavior circumtropical highly migratory.
Among the species described are big eye tuna (Thunnus obesus), Pez chachuera (Gasterochisma melampus), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) longfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and yellowtail (Seriola marantlara) .
Among marine invertebrates include molluscs collected and Cypraea cautdraconis Nerita morio.
The status of marine and terrestrial birds of oceanic islands is an excellent indicator of ecological status of these. The species that visit the island are Macronectes giganteus, Polynesian Storm-petrel and Sterna fuscata. Additionally six species nest on the island Fregetta grallaria, Phaeton rubricauda, Sooty Tern, Brown Noddy, White Tern and Blue Noddy. You may be playing in place and Pterodoma arminjoniana Pterodoma neglecta (Teao, 1982), just as the Christmas Shearwater species (Schlatter, 1987).
Sala y Gomez together with Easter Island would form a common core to be further away from the continent and this can predict that some species have been seen with some frequency as visitors at Easter and that nest on the nearby island Sala y Gomez (Scott , 1972).
In Sala y Gómez does not exist any more endemic land birds introduced species, but birds of tropical origin, thanks to the subtropical waters of transition.
The island of Sala y Gomez was discovered in 1793, and although it is recognized geopolitical and economic importance has been rarely visited. Since its discovery, less than a dozen expeditions have reached it. Rehder (1980) in their study of marine molluscs following dispatches mentions in November 1825, Captain FW Beechey, aboard H.M.S. Blossom, on their way to Easter Island, guest room and Gomez bervemente, but no landings there. By definition (Beechey, 1931 and Rehder, 1980) is nothing but a heap of rough stones. In 1875 the corvette O'Higgins of the Chilean Navy, with R. Philippi makes aboard a stop to this and issues a report in 1876. Another report published by Falke (1941) reports that in 1935 the visit to the island makes the ship "General Baquedano. Geological aspects have been published by Fisher and Norris (1960) and by Clark and Dymond (1977) based on data from two oceanographic cruises. A report of the first of these visits, made at the "Spencer" F. Baird, during the expedition "Downwind", in January 1958, was published by Norris (1960). On August 21, 1972, the Russian research vessel "Dmitry Mendeleev" visit the island.
The island shows no permanent residents or temporary settlements. However, the presence of buoys and fishing nets in its small coastline may be indicative of frequent visits by foreign fishing fleets to the surroundings. Information Council on Monuments of Chile.
Consejo de Monumentos de Chile.
