Deep marine eruption

2004/06/15 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Geologia

A camera submarine has obtained images of the eruption of a submarine volcano. The initial idea was to take pictures of the volcano and the bottom of the sea, but the boat, driven away, found the eruption by surprise. According to scientists, these images will provide valuable information.

Volcanoes threw rocks and gases in one way or another, and dense clouds acquire a yellow color when they come into contact with water. In the vicinity, in addition, the submerged took images of another crack releasing liquid carbon dioxide.

Samples taken are still being analyzed. For the moment they know that the material released was very caustic, since it damaged the lens of the camera.

The shore of the volcano, located 600 meters deep, north of the Mariana Islands, has developed its work within a research project of the Western Pacific.

70% of the world's volcanoes are underwater, but as their research is very difficult, they are not known as the continents.

Photo: NOAA/AP.