Underwater volcanoes appear to be generating an alarming amount of energy

With energy released during volcanic eruptions under the sea, you can power the entire United States.

Volcanoes spewing lava are well-studied phenomena we know a lot about now. This differs for submarine samples. And that is while most of the volcanic activity in the world occurs in the ocean. In a new study, researchers decided to subject these mystifying underwater volcanoes to in-depth analysis. It appears that we have significantly reduced the strength of the underwater volcanic eruptions.

Uninteresting
For a long time, underwater volcanic eruptions were considered uninteresting. First of all, this relates to the fact that underwater volcanic eruptions often occur at a depth of a few kilometers. It is an extraordinary challenge to detect a volcanic eruption so far away from the surface of the sea. Additionally, where land volcanoes often cause spectacular volcanic eruptions – as volcanic ash particles are dumped into a wider area – volcanic eruptions only lead to slow-moving pyroclastic flows. New research indicates that nothing could be further from the truth. Using remotely controlled underwater robots that were dropped in the Northeast Pacific, scientists have now shown that undersea volcanic eruptions are amazingly powerful.

Megaploymn
Scientists have previously discovered so-called “mega-plumes” over various marine volcanoes. Researcher David Ferguson said in an interview with researcher David Ferguson: “Although it is believed that eruptions from underwater volcanoes form these huge plumes, this has not been confirmed yet.” Scientias. “But our results now provide strong evidence that massive plumes form during volcanic submarine eruptions.” These huge columns contain hot water rich in chemicals. In fact, these massive plumes function in the same way as the atmospheric plumes we see in terrestrial volcanoes: they extend up and outward, simultaneously carrying volcanic ash. The size of these huge underwater columns is enormous, the volume of water equivalent to forty million (!) Olympic swimming pool.

energy
The researchers are now making an astonishing discovery in the new study that the amount of energy released and required to transport the ash to the observed distances is extremely high. “The energy required to form the massive plumes – which carry volcanic ash – is in fact much higher than many eruptions on Earth,” Ferguson said. “Both the velocity and the total energy release are so high that it is difficult to express this in terms of volcanic models.” The team is making the wonderful discovery that underwater volcanic eruptions release so much energy that you can use them to power the entire United States. “The rate of energy release during an eruption is so high that we rejected the results at first,” Ferguson said.

Anyone who now believes that we can actually use the energy released by the underwater explosions of the energy continents should unfortunately disappoint the researchers. “It’s very unlikely,” Ferguson said. “The source of these plumes is difficult to reach and can be found for miles underwater. On top of that, it is very difficult to predict when they will appear. Plus, so much energy is released at such an incredibly fast pace that unfortunately we can’t do much with it.”

Thanks to study, we are increasingly learning about undersea volcanoes and the role of underwater volcanoes in the marine environment. “The results illustrate, for example, the origin of the massive trees, which were first discovered in the late 1980s but have been bewildering ever since,” says Ferguson. This means that researchers have discovered a direct link between massive plumes and submarine eruptions and that the colossal plumes are responsible for transporting volcanic ash deep into the ocean. These pillars form in a short time – just a few hours – generating an enormous amount of energy in a short period of time. “Additionally, it also sheds light on the processes that occur during a submarine eruption, and how these eruptions affect its environment and interact with hydrothermal systems present in the oceanic crust.”

What can we do with the acquired knowledge? “The results are of particular interest to future research into underwater volcanic eruptions and their impact on their environment,” explains Ferguson. Additionally, we are also expanding our knowledge of the still mysterious volcanoes underwater. “It’s still very difficult to spot an undersea eruption with your own eyes,” said Ferguson. But thanks to the development of tools related to the sea floor, we receive data as soon as we discover “something” of the activity. These efforts, along with continuous mapping and ocean floor sampling, mean that we slowly but surely begin to understand the volcanic nature of the oceans. ”

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