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Deep-sea volcano erupts 4,000ft under the Pacific
The Times(UK) ^ | 12/18/09 | Sophie Tedmanson

Posted on 12/18/2009 9:27:04 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster

December 18, 2009

Deep-sea volcano erupts 4,000ft under the Pacific

Sophie Tedmanson in Sydney

Scientists have filmed a volcanic eruption 4,000ft (1,220m) under the sea causing molten lava to flow across the deep ocean floor.

The incredible footage, recorded by a submersible robot, shows the exact moment that a deep-sea volcano erupts from the ocean floor, sending an explosion of bright red lava bubbles and plumes of smoke-like sulphur through the water.

The eruption of the West Mata volcano was filmed by US scientists in May during an underwater expedition south of Samoa. It is the deepest erupting volcano to be discovered.

“It was an underwater Fourth of July,” said Bob Embley, a marine geologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which ran the expedition with the US National Science Foundation.

“Since the water pressure at that depth suppresses the violence of the volcano’s explosions, we could get the underwater robot within feet of the active eruption.”

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: catastrophism; eruption; underwater; volcano
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1 posted on 12/18/2009 9:27:08 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Mother-Earth just burbed. There goes all the “Green House Gas” targets for 2009-2010!


2 posted on 12/18/2009 9:29:57 AM PST by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: SunkenCiv

Way cool ping.


3 posted on 12/18/2009 9:31:02 AM PST by colorado tanker (What's it all about, Barrrrry? Is it just for the power, you live?)
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To: Tallguy

Was AlGore present?


4 posted on 12/18/2009 9:33:18 AM PST by ExTexasRedhead (Clean the RAT/RINO Sewer in 2010 and 2012)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Very cool!


5 posted on 12/18/2009 9:33:35 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard .. May yur bandwidth exceed your girth)
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To: Tallguy
Yes one burb would probably eclipse all Green house gas produced by mankind in a year.
6 posted on 12/18/2009 9:33:57 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster (LUV DIC -- L,U,V-shaped recession, Depression, Inflation, Collapse)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Looks like the work of Bush and Cheney. Oh, those poor fishies! They’re burning UP!!!


7 posted on 12/18/2009 9:34:38 AM PST by J40000
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To: TigerLikesRooster

NOAA press release
lots of pics

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091217_volcano2.html


8 posted on 12/18/2009 9:35:18 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard .. May yur bandwidth exceed your girth)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
What an amazing planet this is. God is awesome.
9 posted on 12/18/2009 9:35:55 AM PST by FourPeas (Why does Professor Presbury's wolfhound, Roy, endeavour to bite him?)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Aren't there thousands of ocean floor volcanic eruptions in the Arctic? Hasn't that warmed up the Arctic ocean?

Why is this not discussed when sea ice and polar bears are mentioned together in the same sentence?

10 posted on 12/18/2009 9:36:24 AM PST by x_plus_one (once you take the red pill; its impossible to re-submerge yourself in the lefts illusions...)
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To: x_plus_one

That ought to melt some ice.


11 posted on 12/18/2009 9:41:05 AM PST by Venturer
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Yikes - Global Underwater Warming! Another crisis!!


12 posted on 12/18/2009 9:41:21 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Socialism is hip until somebody loses a paycheck)
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To: reagan_fanatic
Man-bear-pig needs to plug all underwater volcanic vents.
SUV’s are basically irrelevant.
13 posted on 12/18/2009 9:44:35 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster (LUV DIC -- L,U,V-shaped recession, Depression, Inflation, Collapse)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Well gee whiz.

Do ya THINK that maybe, just MAYBE, the ocean temps might rise just a smidgen??? We don’t have global warming, we have ocean warming...from Mother Earth, not her inhabitants.


14 posted on 12/18/2009 9:44:36 AM PST by SueRae
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To: TigerLikesRooster

News at 11:00 Algore says man causing molten lava to flow.


15 posted on 12/18/2009 9:44:47 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: TigerLikesRooster
According to the scientists, 80 per cent of eruptive activity on Earth takes place in the ocean and most volcanoes are in the deep ocean.

And there's nothing we can do about it. Oh my goodness, we're doomed!

16 posted on 12/18/2009 9:48:01 AM PST by smokingfrog (Don't mess with the mocking bird! - http://tiny.cc/freepthis)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Absolutely amazing to see million degree lava hit cold ocean water. [/sarc off


17 posted on 12/18/2009 9:49:38 AM PST by tx_eggman (Obama has "Czars" because men with more integrity than he has still use the titles "Don" and "Capo")
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To: Tallguy

Looks like the entrance to Hell. Marvelous video of nature at work.


18 posted on 12/18/2009 10:05:24 AM PST by DallasDeb (USAFA '06 Mom)
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To: NormsRevenge

Thanks. Great pics and video, an amazing robot and no mention of global warming.


19 posted on 12/18/2009 10:26:49 AM PST by browardchad ("Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own fact." - Daniel P Moynihan)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

There are excellent still pictures at the NOAA website from this expedition. Ten years ago or so I was studyine Marine Biology and I wrote a paper on deep sea hydrothermal vents, black smokers as they are called. You look at the multitude of life at these deep water spots and it amazes you.
While econuts whine and wring their hands over CO2 causing the oceans to become acidic, claiming it will kill all sea life, you have to note this article that says the acidity of the water around these undersea volcanoes and vents is like battery acid, yet they are teeming with life.


20 posted on 12/18/2009 10:38:10 AM PST by jsh3180
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