The deep ocean has many secrets, and scientists aboard the Okeanos Explorer just discovered a big one – an enormous volcano looming 7,000 feet below the ocean’s surface off the coast of Indonesia.
Exposing Kawio Barat volcano is the first major discovery of the Indonesia-USA Deep-Sea Exploration of the Sangihe Talaud Region (INDEX 2010) mission, which started in June and runs until August 14.
This region was selected for exploration based on prior surveying conducted by Indonesian and Australian scientists in 2004. The earlier work revealed hot spots, but limited instrumentation could not reveal the source of the anomalies.
Okeanos Explorer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship used for the INDEX 2010 mission, provided the magic touch to unveiling the volcano. Equipped with a built-in multibeam sonar and a remote operating vehicle (ROV) nicknamed "Little Hercules," this bad boy covered every inch of the 10,000-foot-tall volcano, top to bottom.
The team reported finding active venting along the sides of Kawio Barat on the mission website:
“We found the source of the plume almost immediately after reaching the bottom. At a depth of about 1850 meters [6,070 feet] we encountered a sulfur vent with a number of point sources. Surrounding the vent was a large amount of yellow and black molten sulfur … After departing from the vent, the ROV ascended the summit ridge and encountered fields of sulfide chimneys with vast aggregations of stalked barnacles at their base. The chimneys varied in terms of age and venting characteristics. Some chimneys were fairly oxidized and others covered in white sulfide. Some chimneys were venting clear fluid while others were venting black smoke.”
The underwater volcano proved a vibrant, mesmerizing find -- and a reminder of how much we still do not know about the ocean floor.
It's not surprising to find a volcano near Indonesia -- the country is one of the most volcanically active on the planet, nestled as it is in the South Pacific arm of the Ring of Fire. In fact, the scientists hope to discover more previously-unknown volcanic activity during their voyage. They have already moved their sights to a new, nearby target: Nuang, another mysterious mountain rising out of the depths.
Tags: Geology, Volcanic Eruptions
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