In 2018, an underwater volcano was born near the Island of Mayotte—between Madagascar and Mozambique—in the Indian Ocean. Its birth was preceded by unusual activities near the area where it appeared. Vibrations due to changes in the Earth’s crust, known as “seismic activities”, which accompany earthquakes and volcanoes, are what led scientists to discover the Mayotte underwater volcano.
Those vibrations or frequency waves were recorded on 11 November 2018; they did not cover only the area of the volcano’s birthplace, but traveled across the world to Canada and Hawaii, creating a hum that got louder and louder, and lasted sometimes for up to half-an-hour. This hum was different because it was in ultralow frequency, and normally other seismic events are in several frequencies.
This underwater volcano is not the first one to be discovered, but it is unique; as seismologist Simone Cesca observed, it is “the first time we have really observed the birth of a volcano on the seafloor”. Observing the birth of an underwater volcano was definitely an invaluable experience for scientists; let us seize the opportunity and learn more about underwater or submarine volcanoes.
The Formation of Hawaii
How many underwater volcanoes are there? Scientists estimate there are more than 5000 volcanoes submerged under the sea, which means that they are responsible for 75% of lava that erupt yearly. Scientists find that underwater volcanoes are hard to study because some of them are very deep underwater; they do not just erupt, they build up over time until they reach the surface. This is exactly what happened to the Island of Hawaii.
Submarine volcanoes differ from volcanoes on land. Some of them exist in shallow waters; therefore, their presence is noticed because of the steam and rock debris that reaches the surface of the sea. Others, however, are covered by huge amounts of water that controls their eruptions and make their presence unnoticed. When lava meets seawater, it cools so rapidly that it forms sand and rubble. The beaches of Hawaii with its black sand are a great example of what seawater does to lava.
Who does not want to go to Hawaii; this fascinating island with its beauty, adventures, and lots of fun? Five million years ago, Hawaii was formed. In 1934, scientists made a fascinating discovery. Hawaii was very deep in the seawater; if there was no seawater around it, it would look higher than Mount Everest. Hawaii came into being because of volcanoes. Rocks moving on the Earth’s crust are known as tectonic plates; volcanoes form when those tectonic plates come together, and Hawaii sits above the Pacific Plate. Over years and years of eruptions, Hawaii was formed; the five volcanoes responsible for creating Hawaii are Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Kilauea, and Kohala.
The Study of Volcanoes
Volcanology, also spelled Vulcanology, is the science that studies volcanoes and the different areas of volcanic phenomena; structure, origins, etc. Interest in volcanoes is as old as time but they were not properly researched until the 19th century. As for the study of submarine volcanoes, scientists need special equipment because of their depth. A few machines that work are Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) that are used for video observations and also Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) that map the seafloor. Scientists study a number of phenomena; evolution of hydrothermal systems, origin and evolution of oceanic volcanoes, and explosive volcanism in the deep sea.
A Striking Phenomenon
When we think of volcanoes, we think of danger as images of extremely hot lava come to our minds. Yet, scientists have found that sometimes life thrives whenever there is an active underwater volcano. They noticed “a significant increase in the population of animals”. Scientists have yet to unravel the mystery of the increase in marine life at the areas of volcanic activities.
References
britannica.com
cosmosmagazine.com
livescience.com
livescience.com
mbari.org
nationalgeographic.com
prezi.com
pubs.usgs.gov
sciencedaily.com
study.com
universetoday.com
washingtonpost.com