The pumice raft spread across some 400 sq km of ocean. (click here)
Scientists (click here) have shed new light on a powerful undersea eruption north of New Zealand that proved larger than any on land in the past century.
In a just-published study, researchers have pieced together the 2012 eruption of the seafloor Havre volcano, which lies in the Kermadec Islands, about 1000km off the North Island.The 2012 blow - the largest deep-ocean eruption of the past century - was revealed when satellite imagery picked up a pumice raft spread across some 400sq km of ocean.
"We knew it was a large-scale eruption, approximately equivalent to the biggest eruption we've seen on land in the 20th century," said the study's lead author, University of Tasmania volcanologist Dr Rebecca Carey....It is the kind of place I would expect to find pirate treasure.
A view of the ROV landing on the seafloor at Havre submarine volcano at 900 metres below sea level, in order to retrieve a heat flow monitor. The Remotely Operated Vehicle Jason is about the size of a large 4WD. Below is the location of the seismic event recently. The island is considered an ecoregional unit as part of New Zealand. (click here)
A strong and deep earthquake (click here) registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit Kermadec Islands region, New Zealand at 07:03 UTC on June 29, 2017. The agency is reporting a depth of 392.3 km (244 miles).Geoscience Australia is reporting M5.8 (preliminary) at a depth of 448 km (278 miles). GFZ Potsdamis reporting M6.0 at a depth of 424 km (263 miles).
