Volcanoes No One Has Ever Seen
Volcanoes No One Has Ever Seen.
Scientists believe that 80 percent of volcanic eruptions on Earth take place in the ocean. Most of these volcanoes are thousands of feet deep and difficult to find. But in May of 2009, scientists captured the deepest ocean eruption ever found. Nearly 4000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean – in an area between Samoa, Fiji and Tonga – the West Mata volcano was discovered. The explosions of molten rock were spectacular. This volcano was producing Boninite lavas – believed to be among the hottest on Earth. Scientists also witnessed molten lava flowing across the deep ocean sea floor and spotted shrimp living near the volcano’s most active areas. The eruption was characterized by glowing molten lava, explosions, the creation of large amounts of volcanic sands, and the active formation of pillow lavas. Water from the volcano is extremely acidic with some samples measuring between battery acid and stomach acid. This research allows us to closely examine how ocean islands and undersea volcanoes are born. It may also shed light on how heat and matter transfer from the interior of the Earth to the surface, and how life adapts to some of the harshest conditions on our planet.
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http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160808-the-volcanoes-hiding-in-the-ocean
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