The eruption of the Havre became the strongest among underwater volcanoes

2018-01-16 12:35

The eruption of the Havre became the strongest among underwater volcanoes
Volcanologists discovered off the coast of New Zealand’s largest floating island of pumice.

Sign up for news “UkrMedia” in Facebook, Twitter or Google+

Volcanologists from the University of Tasmania described the large eruption of an underwater volcano Havre, which was held in 2012 and estimated that became the most powerful in its class over the last hundred years, reports Rus.Media.

The first eruption went unnoticed for scientists, however, soon volcanologists discovered off the coast of New Zealand’s largest floating island of pumice (porous volcanic rock) with an area of 26 thousand square kilometers. The thickness of the formation was 3.5 meters. Three months after the eruption of the mass split for individual pieces of rock, some of which sank to the seabed, while others were nailed to the shores of the Islands of Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.

Scientists have determined the speed and power of volcanic activity, studied with the help of Autonomous underwater vehicle place of eruption. At a depth of 1220 meters was discovered 4.5 km Caldera — large depression formed by collapse of the upper part of the volcano inside. At the bottom of the Caldera was up to 14 openings through which ejected lava, ashes and pumice.

In the entire history of observations of the eruption of the Havre became the strongest among underwater volcanoes. At the same time, researchers estimate that it was 1.5 times more powerful, than the explosion of the ground of the volcano St. Helens in 1980, the strength of which is estimated at five points out of eight on a scale of volcanic activity VEI.