Underwater Volcanism

[Turtle]

Pure speculation on my part here, but not without president.

 

~ 1 hour ago: >> Magnitude 5.0 - CARLSBERG RIDGE

 

Carlsberg Ridge Info.: >> Carlsberg Ridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

...The Carlsberg Ridge is seismically active, with a major earthquake being recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey at 7.6 on the Richter scale on July 15, 2003 [1]. The latest recorded earthquake occurred September 15, 2007 [2]at 5.0 on the Richter scale. ...

 

Perhaps we have some active underwater volcanism here???

 

Just found this link, but must yield computer to owner. Will get back to it. :hihi: :shrug:

http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/aug102003/334.pdf

[Turtle]

Found in 2003, this currently underwater volcano remains un-named still as far as I have found. Part of a rich complex of volcanism and hydrothermal activity along the Aleutian chain, this baby may surface in our lifetimes. :hihi:: :eek:

 

Alaska Volcano Pops to Attention , Alaska Science Forum

...Though an underwater volcano now, the cone was at or near sea level when glaciers locked up much of the world’s water during the last ice age. The volcano has the potential to again grow into an island should it erupt with enough vigor; its summit is about 377 feet below the ocean’s surface.

 

“It’s close enough to the surface that it can quickly build up to sea level there,” Reynolds said. “There’s no sign that it’s ready to do this, but it’s possible.”

 

One of Alaska’s newest pieces of land, the volcanic Bogoslof Island in the Aleutians, rose above sea level during explosive eruptions beginning in 1796. Though Bogoslof volcano is much larger than the yet unnamed cone to the west, it posed the same dangers in the days when it lurked below the surface of the Bering Sea.

 

Besides the hazard of a volcano exploding underneath a ship, undersea volcanoes can release gases that lower the density of seawater to the point that boats can no longer float.

 

The nameless volcano’s rumbles are remote enough to go undetected today, but geologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory plan to install a network of seismometers on nearby Semisopochnoi Island in 2005. Those instruments should be close enough to record any earthquakes that would forewarn of an impending eruption.

 

The vast sea floor surrounding the Aleutians is a world of unmapped canyons, faults, ridges of glacial moraine, and mountains. The nameless volcano probably has brethren in the depths surrounding the Aleutian Islands, Reynolds said.

 

“This certainly is not the only one, though it may be the largest,” she said. “Whether the next one we find is a well-constructed, long-lived volcano like this is another question.” ...

[InfiniteNow]

Alaska Volcano Pops to Attention , Alaska Science Forum

 

Besides the hazard of a volcano exploding underneath a ship, undersea volcanoes can release gases that lower the density of seawater to the point that boats can no longer float.

 

This quote from your article made me wonder if there is an underwater volcano (or, potentially several) underneath the Bermuda Triangle. :hihi:

[REASON]

This quote from your article made me wonder if there is an underwater volcano (or, potentially several) underneath the Bermuda Triangle. :hihi:

 

I believe it was CharlieO on his Hydrogen Escape thread who suggested that there are massive methane expulsions from various locations beneath the the ocean that bubble at the surface and can cause boats to loose their boyancy and low flying aircraft to loose power due to the loss of oxygen.

 

He suggested that the Bermuda Triangle was one of these locations. I haven't researched this any further to confirm it's veracity, but it's an interesting theory. You would think that if that were the case, it should have been well established by now since it wouldn't be very difficult to take readings of such an event.

[Turtle]

I believe it was CharlieO on his Hydrogen Escape thread who suggested that there are massive methane expulsions from various locations beneath the the ocean that bubble at the surface and can cause boats to loose their boyancy and low flying aircraft to loose power due to the loss of oxygen.

 

He suggested that the Bermuda Triangle was one of these locations. I haven't researched this any further to confirm it's veracity, but it's an interesting theory. You would think that if that were the case, it should have been well established by now since it wouldn't be very difficult to take readings of such an event.

 

:hihi: Gas Hydrate at the USGS, Bermuda Triangle

[REASON]

:) Gas Hydrate at the USGS, Bermuda Triangle

 

The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle is a fairy tale. Sorry.

 

Bill Dillon - Geologist, USGS

 

Well there ya have it. It was fun while it lasted.

[Turtle]

One distinct difference in underwater vs. terrestrial volcanoes, and a deeply fascinating new area of study, is the life taking advantage of energy other than sunlight. Thanks to Freezter for this article on the recent discovery of a 'new' kind of oceanic hydrothermal vent system. :naughty: :phones:

 

http://hypography.com/forums/general-science-news/14068-lost-city-pumps-life-essential-chemicals.html

The hydrocarbons being produced at Lost City are not formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater because none of the carbon carries the radioisotopic signature that would be present if they had been exposed to sunlight, Proskurowski says.

 

Analysis of rock from Lost City shows that the hydrocarbons are not coming from the living biosphere. Rock in contact with seawater has a very consistent ratio of carbon dioxide to helium. But the rock at Lost City had a strikingly different ratio. It turns out that the depleted amount of carbon dioxide in the rocks roughly equals the amount of hydrocarbons being produced in the fluids, he says.

 

"The detection of these organic building blocks from a non-biological source is possible evidence in our quest to understand the origin of life on this planet and other solar bodies," Proskurowski says. ...

[Turtle]

This is a re-post of some information I gave in another thread, and it's well time we got to mentioning the Hawaiian hot spot volcanos here.

 

...I think knowing some of the facts we do know about underwater volcanoes would go a long way to understanding why they have my fascinated attention.

 

The biggest volcano, let alone biggest mountain, in the world today is the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which in fact began as an underwater volcano and now rises 4km above the sea. >> Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawai`i

 

Less well known is Lo 'ihi Seamount, the newest Hawaiian volcano now up from the seafloor to within 969 m of the surface. When it emerges, it will be the newest Hawaiian island, and obviously no longer an underwater volcano in terms of its main vent(s). >> Lo`ihi Seamount, Hawai`i

 

Talk among yourselves. :(

[InfiniteNow]

:(

[Turtle]

Moving North across the Pacific, we run into the Aleutian volcanoes on the Ring of Fire, and the first active underwater volcano discovered there a few years ago. ;)

 

 

Scientists map state's first known active undersea volcano

11 August 2003

Contact Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, Global Undersea Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-474-5871, [email protected]

Scientists map state's first known geologically active undersea volcano Fairbanks, Alaska—An active undersea volcano, the first to be discovered in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands region, was successfully mapped in late June by researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Auke Bay, Alaska.

“This is significant, not just to science and to our understanding of volcanoes, but also because this volcano appears to be geologically active,” said Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, the expedition’s chief scientist. Reynolds is a marine geologist with Global

...

According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the state is home to some 100 volcanoes and volcanic fields that have been active within the last 1.5 million years. Over 40 of these have been active in historic time. About 80% of all active volcanoes in the United States and 8% of all active above-water volcanoes on earth are in Alaska.

Aleutian volcano page: Alaska Volcano Observatory - Volcanoes - Aleutians

[Turtle]

Here is an audio interview with Dave Butterfield, oceanographer, on a new submarine volcano discovery. >> NPR: Watching an Undersea Volcano

 

I ran across that in looking for info on a famous, and changeable volcano. First it's submarine, then it rises above the sea and is terrestrial, then it blows its top and disappears beneath the waves, then it builds itself back & rises again above the sea. All in all, Krakatoa is a submarine volcano we can all love. :bdayhappy_balloons: ;): :D

 

NPR: Krakatoa Volcano: The Son Also Rises

Morning Edition, October 7, 2004 · As Americans watch the volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens with awe and unease, on the other side of the world, in Indonesia, tourists flock to the site of one of the most spectacular volcanic explosions ever recorded.

 

Krakatoa, west of Java, erupted with such fury in 1883 that it reportedly was heard as far away as Bangkok and Australia. It blew the island of Rakata to pieces and killed more than 30,000 people. Some scientists say it was the biggest bang in recorded history.

 

Anak Krakatau (the "son of Krakatoa") emerged from almost the same spot and is growing every day. ...

 

Anak Krakatau in 1967 >> Son of Krakatoa Pentax SV photo - Colin Clarke photos at pbase.com

 

Some history >> Damn Interesting » Son of Krakatoa

The famous eruption of Krakatoa on August 27, 1883 has been estimated as the biggest bang in recorded history, heard over 3000 miles away. It killed over 36,000 people, and destroyed more than 3/4 of its island, literally blowing it to pieces. The cataclysm affected weather world-wide, cooling summers, and causing sunsets so vivid that in Poughkeepsie, NY, firefighters were called to put out the apparent conflagration.

 

All of this is well-known. What is less well known is that this same volcano is a repeat offender, and it is still with us. The sea bed just to the north of what remains of Rakata island began rising steadily shortly after the famous cataclysm. In 1927, a new island called Anak Krakatoa (Son of Krakatoa) emerged from the sea to take its father's place.

 

Krakatoa itself is the reformation of an earlier volcano. The original volcano also exploded, creating the strait between Java and Sumatra. The event is recorded in the Javanese Book of Kings.

 

"A thundering sound was heard from the mountain Batuwara … a similar noise from Kapi … The whole world was greatly shaken and violent thundering, accompanied by heavy rain and storms took place, but not only did not this heavy rain extinguish the eruption of the fire of the mountain Kapi, but augmented the fire; the noise was fearful, at last the mountain Kapi with a tremendous roar burst into pieces and sank into the deepest of the earth. The water of the sea rose and inundated the land, the country to the east of the mountain Batuwara, to the mountain Raja Basa, was inundated by the sea; the inhabitants of the northern part of the Sunda country to the mountain Raja Basa were drowned and swept away with all property… The water subsided but the land on which Kapi stood became sea, and Java and Sumatra were divided into two parts."

The book claims a date of 416 AD for the eruption, though the geologic evidence seems to indicate an eruption of 535 AD. The eruption drowned the land between Java and Sumatra in the ocean, leaving behind only a small ring of tiny islands. The largest of these eventually grew into Krakatoa, an island with three volcanic peaks, and an explosive future.

[DougF]

Turtle,

I found this link and thought it might help in your research.

Welcome to the Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) of the U.S. Geological Survey

 

U.S. Geological Survey' date=' Volcano Hazards Program[/url']

[Turtle]

Turtle,

I found this link and thought it might help in your research.

 

 

U.S. Geological Survey, Volcano Hazards Program

 

Nice! Had to do some digging to root out a submarine volcano, and it turns out it's another one of those that's up & down. Now currently erupting above water, heeeeeere's Anatahan! :) :cup:

 

Northern Mariana Islands Status Page

Anatahan Volcano, Mariana Islands - John Seach

Mariana Islands

16.35 N, 145.67 E

summit elevation 788 m

Stratovolcano

 

The first recorded eruption of Anatahan volcano occurred in May 2003. Only sulfataric activity was observed previous to this eruption. The largest eruption of Anatahan volcano occurred on April 6, 2005, when ash reached 50,000 ft altitude.

 

The island of Anatahan is only 1% of the volume of the entire volcano, which is 3700 m high from submarine base to summit, and an average diameter of 35 km.

 

Seismic activity increased at Anatahan volcano in January 2008.

 

Here's a view from space of its eruption in 2003: >> Visible Earth: Eruption of Anatahan Volcano, Northern Mariana Islands

 

Unlike my nearby St. Helens where a walk along a roadcut lets you examine layered deposits of dozens of past eruptions over thousands of years at your leisure, retrieving the same kind of data for submarine volcanos is rather expensive & otherwise problematic. Better get Kraken! :):)

[Zythryn]

I do find underwater volcanoes interesting.

However the fact that they exist is nothing new.

Has anyone found any information on the amount of CO2 realeased by these volcanoes, or more importantly how much of the CO2 released reaches the atmosphere and how much is absorbed by the oceans?

If I missed the post, please just let me know what page it is on or a link would be appreciated.

[Turtle]

I do find underwater volcanoes interesting.

However the fact that they exist is nothing new.

Has anyone found any information on the amount of CO2 realeased by these volcanoes, or more importantly how much of the CO2 released reaches the atmosphere and how much is absorbed by the oceans?

If I missed the post, please just let me know what page it is on or a link would be appreciated.

 

What is new is how many magnitudes more of them exist than previously known or thought, as well as their part in previously unknown biota.

The CO2 aspect is as variable as the volcanoes themselves, and at or below a certain depth it remains in solution and or chemically binds with other elements. As depth & pressure decrease, then it can come out as a gas & bubble up; not sure what those measures are? See the articles in this thread on the jets of liquid CO2 turning to acid at post#3

Moat of Death

The moat lies between Vailulu'u's encircling crater and the rim of the cone inside it.

 

It's an extremely toxic environment, Staudigel said, where oxygen levels are dangerously low and volcanic vents fill the water with iron soot "almost like underwater smog."

 

The volcano is also spewing liquid carbon dioxide, which combines with seawater to make a deadly acidic mix. ...

 

As I understand it, the submarine CO2 is unique in its isotope tagging, and so if it appears in the atmosphere 'straight up' so to speak, then that signature is apparent and identifiable.

 

What is also yet little investigated or understood is the role of the extremophiles living at, on, and around submarine volcanic environs. It is the fairly recent discovery that such creatures existed at all that has changed the view of astrophysicists and helped to bring astrobiology into a respectable role. These creatures are living without any input of sunlight, happily munching sulphur dioxide and other such nasty brews previously thought toxic to all life.

 

Prepare to dive...ahhhhooooga...ahhhhhoooooga...ahoooooga ::) :) Obviously we turtles have known about submarine volcanos for as long as we have been around. :)

[Turtle]

Follow up to sulphur dioxide eating microbes: Text from caption Figure2 >>

 

The secrets of deep intra-terrestrial microbes

New seafloor is continuously being born at spreading ridges stretching across the ocean seafloor in various directions. Volcanic eruptions deliver lava to the seafloor, which makes the seafloor to move away from the ridge. The heat from the volcanic activity forces enormous volumes of seawater to circulate in fissures and cracks in the new sea-floor. These sea-floor aquifers are inhabited by numerous microbial populations, the pillow lavas formed by rapid cooling of erupting lava seem to be a favorite habitat. The life traits of those organisms are still a bit of a mystery. Possibly, some of them have metabolic capabilities resembling the microbes living on the energy from sulfur and hydrogen compounds expelled with the “smoke” of the black smokers on the ridges and expelled through the sea-floor as a diffuse flow. This is called shimmering from the shimmering appearance when hot deep water mix with cold sea water. Other seafloor crust organisms possibly extract energy for their living directly from the volcanic rocks, the pillow lavas. ...

[Turtle]

Here's a researchers log that gives a sense of the history, mystery, adventure, expense, and danger involved in investigating submarine volcanos & hydrothermal vents. Good photos as well. :camera:

 

 

Follow UNH professor and researcher, Karen Von Damm, and her crew on leg 6 of voyage 7 on the R/V Atlantis, a Woods Hole Research Vessel. The following log is Karen Von Damm's e-mail from the R/V Atlantis . . .

 

Research Log

Introducton . . .

East Pacific Rise; 21°N latitude

Black smokers were first discovered in 1979 at a site known as "21° North"on the East Pacific Rise. We know the mid-ocean ridge is a giant volcano, and we know volcanoes can change quite quickly as the hot rock (lava) moves around below the Earth's surface and also erupts at the surface - whether on the seafloor or on land. (21°N is named for the latitude it occurs at.)

 

No one knows how long the sites on the seafloor where black smokers are found with their associated animal communities last. Going back to 21° North allows us to see how a system that we know has been operating for over 20 years has changed. The last time the hydrothermal fluids here were sampled ws 1992 - a decade ago. It has been very difficult to understand how fast things happen on the seafloor. Mostly it is believed to change very slowly, but as we have followed volcanic eruptions at a few sites on the seafloor, we have been amazed at the rapidity of the changes. As far as we know, there has been no eruption at 21°N in recent times. ...

Jan 9 2002