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Unexpected find by robots exploring undersea volcanic eruption

Matthew Loffhagen
Outer Places
Mon, 29 Jan 2018 19:03 UTC
Underwater Volcano
© University of Tasmania, Australia, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Back in 2012, the Pacific ocean experienced the biggest volcanic eruption that the planet had seen in a hundred years. An enormous plume of volcanic material bubbled up out of the water with fantastic force, in a dramatic show that, sadly, nobody managed to catch on camera.

Eager to find out exactly what had happened deep below the sea, scientists from the University of Tasmania in Australia have sent a pair of diving robots to examine the volcano (called Havre) and the surrounding area. The results are a lot of fun: according to volcanologist Rebecca Carey who led the study, "what we found on the seafloor was almost entirely different from what we expected".

Whenever a scientist says that something is the opposite of what they were expecting, you know things are interesting. Throw in a giant underwater volcano, and things get even better.

While the volcano's activity wasn't viewed from up close, thanks to its location at the bottom of the ocean, flotsam from the eruption was visible on satellite images that have been taken from space. From this, in 2015 (three years after the eruption), the scientists were able to pinpoint the location of the volcano, and were able to track how the area had surrounding changed from before things went boom.
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Attention

Erupting Philippine volcano threatens to 'bury' nearby communities


Yahoo! News
Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:56 UTC
Mayon volcano erupting
© (AFP Photo/TED ALJIBE)
The Mayon volcano has been emitting flaming lava and giant clouds of superheated ash
Millions of tonnes of ash and rocks from an erupting Philippine volcano could bury nearby communities due to heavy rain, authorities said Saturday, as tens of thousands flee over fears of a deadly explosion.

The official Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued the warning as heavy rains lashed the area surrounding the Mayon volcano, which has been emitting flaming lava and giant clouds of superheated ash for about a week.

Rainwater could combine with the volcanic ash and rock to form deadly, fast-moving mudflows -- called "lahars" -- that could sweep away entire settlements, authorities said.

Comment: Further reading: String of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions hits Ring of Fire - at least five events in two days

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Attention

Mayon volcano erupts again in the Philippines (UPDATE)

Jim Gomez
ABC News
Mon, 22 Jan 2018 13:48 UTC
A huge column of ash shoots up to the sky during the eruption of Mayon volcano Monday, Jan. 22, 2018 as seen from Legazpi city, Albay province
© Associated Press
A huge column of ash shoots up to the sky during the eruption of Mayon volcano Monday, Jan. 22, 2018 as seen from Legazpi city, Albay province
The Philippines' most active volcano ejected a huge column of lava fragments, ash and smoke in a thunderous explosion Monday, sending thousands of villagers back to evacuation centers and prompting a warning that a violent eruption may be imminent.

The midday explosion sent superheated lava, molten rocks and steam between 3.5 to 5 kilometers (2 to 3 miles) into the blue sky, and then some cascaded down Mount Mayon's slopes and shrouded nearby villages in darkness, Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology and other officials said.

From the crater, the deadly debris billowed about three kilometers (1.8 miles) down on the southern plank of Mayon toward a no-entry danger zone. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, officials said.


Comment: UPDATE (25.01.18)

Mayon volcano, which has been erupting for almost two weeks in the Philippines, still appears to be swelling with magma under the surface, scientists said earlier today. More than 74,000 people are staying in dozens of emergency shelters as the volcano continues to belch lava, ash and superheated gas and rocks. Officials are worried the eruption may last months, affecting the education, health and livelihoods of people in its shadow.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said tremors, pyroclastic flows and emissions of sulfur dioxide were detected Wednesday and early Thursday. Lava erupting up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) high was spilling down the slope, with one lava flow extending 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the crater. Ash plumes still rising up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) high have spread ash onto farms and towns nearby, darkening the skies and forcing villagers to wear masks.

The institute said GPS and other measurements indicated a sustained swelling or inflation of the mountain surface, which was consistent with magma rising and creating pressure. The alert level for Mayon remains four on a scale of five, indicating a violent eruption may be imminent.


See also: String of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions hits Ring of Fire - at least five events in two days

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Dominoes

String of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions hits Ring of Fire - at least five events in two days

Bill Hutchinson
ABC News
Tue, 23 Jan 2018 14:15 UTC
tsunami alert Alaska
© Michael Armstrong / Homer News via AP
Abdulai Salam and his daughter Mina wait for the all-clear at Homer High School during a tsunami alert for Homer, Alaska at about 2:30 a.m., Jan. 23, 2018.


Volcanic eruptions in Japan, the Philippines and Bali. Massive earthquakes in Alaska and Indonesia.

The rash of natural disasters over the past two days have one common denominator: they all occurred along the so-called Ring of Fire, a sprawling horseshoe-shape geological disaster zone.


Comment: A geologist from the US Geological Survey says these events are not connected - yet they all took place in rapid succession in the Ring of Fire, which is constantly active. So what he actually means is that he doesn't know if they are directly connected - although evidently they are connected by the Ring of Fire itself.

While we appreciate that he is trying to be cautious with his words, he should at least acknowledge the obvious: That the events are at least indirectly connected, and that it is possible - even likely - that there is also a direct connection given that they all happened within two days. And if so, what could that mean?

More on the Ring of Fire:

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Health

Japan: Volcanic eruption near ski resort sets off avalanche - One killed, 16 injured (VIDEO)


The Japan Times
Tue, 23 Jan 2018 09:55 UTC
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane erupts

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane erupts
A Self-Defense Forces member died and a dozen other people were injured after a volcano erupted near a ski resort in Gunma Prefecture Tuesday morning, spewing cinders and possibly causing an avalanche.

Stones from the eruption of Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane hit a gondola lift and injured at least four people on board with shattered glass, according to local rescuers. The 9:59 a.m. eruption of the 2,171-meter mountain is the first since 1983, according to the Meteorological Agency.

The stones also crashed through the roof of a rest house where about 100 people had evacuated, the rescuers said.

Video footage from the top of the resort's gondola showed skiers gliding down the slopes as black rocks plummeted from the skies and snow billowed up as they struck the ground, sometimes just missing skiers. A cloud of black smoke later drifted in


Comment: Latest is 16 people were injured.

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Attention

New eruption at Kadovar Island volcano in Papua New Guinea


Los Angeles Times
Sun, 21 Jan 2018 15:07 UTC
Ash plumes rise from the volcano on Kadovar Island in the South Pacific.
© Brenton-James Glover
Ash plumes rise from the volcano on Kadovar Island in the South Pacific.
An island volcano in Papua New Guinea erupted again Sunday, sending plumes of steam and ash into the air.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from islands surrounding Kadovar Island off the South Pacific nation's north coast since the volcano there began erupting on Jan. 5. Flights nearby have been canceled due to the risk posed by ash plumes and ships were warned to stay away from the island.

Experts warned last week that seismic activity beneath the volcano meant that a major eruption could be imminent.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has previously said state resources were being made available to support evacuations and he has warned northern coastal communities to be alert for possible tsunamis.
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Attention

Mud volcano erupts in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan


APA
Thu, 18 Jan 2018 13:37 UTC
mud volcano

Mud volcano
A mud volcano erupted in Gushchu village of Azerbaijan's Shamakhi district.

The volcano began to erupt yesterday at about 1:00am in the village of Gushchu and to this day the process of eruption continues, APA's local bureau reported.

Villager Adam Yusifov told APA that local residents were awakened by the sound of the volcano.

"During the eruption of the volcano, mud lava rose to a height of about 10 meters and spread to a territory of 1.5 hectares. Flow of mud is continuing. A smell of gas is reported across of the area. The last time this volcano erupted in 2005," said the villager.

There are about 15 houses in the distance of 20-30 meters from the eruption site. The houses were not damaged.
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Binoculars

Over 30,000 evacuated as Mayon Volcano threatens to erupt in Philippines


ITV News
Tue, 16 Jan 2018 22:20 UTC
Mayon volcano
© AP Photo/Earl Recamunda
Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano as seen from Legazpi city, Albay province, around 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, Philippines, Monday, Jan. 15, 2018.
More than 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as the Philippines' most active volcano spews lava, sparking fears it may be about to erupt.

Glowing lava and ash clouds have begun to emir from Mount Mayon in Albay province, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila.

Officials ordered at least 34,038 people to evacuate amid fears that it may suddenly explode in a full eruption of deadly molten lava.

Police checkpoints have been set up to turn away curious tourists or residents trying to get into the danger zone reaching around 6 to 7 kilometers (3.7 to 4.3 miles) around Mayon.

"They say it's beauty juxtaposed with danger," Office of Civil Defense regional director Claudio Yucot said.

Residents from at least two cities and six towns were told to leave, with many forced to move into temporary shelters set up in schools.

Lava has already flowed as far as two kilometers (1.2 miles) from Mount Mayon tips, while an ash cloud shrouded the top of the volcano.

Albay officials declared a state of calamity in the province of more than a million people to allow more rapid disbursement of disaster funds.


Comment: Mayon Volcano in Philippines spews ash, threatens major eruption

Today (January 17), that number is approaching 40,000:
Mount Mayon, the most active volcano in the Philippines, continued to erupt on Tuesday forcing nearly 40,000 people to evacuate, according to the Philippine National Risk Reduction and Management Council.

While the recent eruptions have been relatively weak, scientists warn that they could turn explosive at any time, according to the Associated Press.

A thick ash cloud around the volcano has made monitoring its eruptions difficult and also caused ash to settle on nearby villages.


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Attention

Thousands flee as Mayon volcano erupts in Philippines

Alex Green and Afp
Daily Mail
Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:16 UTC
Mayon volcano in the Philippines could explode in the next few days, spraying lava, hot rocks and gases as fast as 60mph on to surrounding towns

Mayon volcano in the Philippines could explode in the next few days, spraying lava, hot rocks and gases as fast as 60mph on to surrounding towns
Thousands fled their homes in terror as lava oozed from a rumbling Philippine volcano today - as experts warned this 'quiet eruption' could lead to a hazardous in the next few days, spewing lava and hot rocks at 60mph.

Lava is slowly flowing out of the Mayon volcano's crater along with a spectacular 1,000 metre (3,280 foot) ash plume rising into the sky, the nation's volcanology institute said.

More than 12,000 people have been ordered to evacuated from a seven kilometre (four mile) danger zone around the crater, as officials warned them of potentially destructive mudflows and toxic clouds.

It is considered the nation's most active volcano

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Info

Expedition reports findings from Havre Volcano in south Pacific Ocean, site of major 2012 underwater eruption

Andrew Masterson
Cosmos Magazine
Sun, 14 Jan 2018 18:11 UTC
Remotely operated vehicle
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) lands on the seafloor at Havre submarine volcano to retrieve a heat flow monitor.
The first close quarters investigation of what was possibly the largest underwater volcanic eruption in modern history has uncovered a carpet of pumice rocks, some as big as motor vehicles, and unexpected ocean-bed lava flows.

In a paper published in the journal Science Advances, a research team led by the University of Tasmania in Australia and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in the US report on the use of two autonomous underwater vehicles to explore the aftermath of the eruption of the 2012 Harve volcano, which lies between New Zealand and American Samoa in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

The volcano blew on July 18, 2012, an event noted only when passengers on an airliner flying above the Kermadec Islands (of which Harve is an underwater component) noticed a huge number of pumice rocks floating on the surface of the ocean. The raft of rocks eventually covered almost 400 square kilometres.

Three years later, the joint Australian-US expedition headed to the blast site.

Comment: That right there is the real source of 'ocean acidification', increased CO2 and methane levels, and increased temperatures. The sea floor is literally opening up all over the place.

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