Monster underwater volcanoes discovered near Fiji
Pastor Dale Morgan
Monster underwater volcanoes discovered near Fiji*
2008-06-23 5:31:56
BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Several monstrous volcanoes, spreading
ridges and rift zones have been found on the seafloor northeast of Fiji
by a team of American and Australian scientists.
On the hunt for subsea volcanic and hot-spring activity, the team of
geologists located the volcanoes while mapping previously uncharted
areas aboard the Marine National Facility Research Vessel Southern
Surveyor. Using high-tech multi-beam sonar mapping equipment, digital
images of the seafloor revealed the formerly unknown features.
The summits of two of the volcanoes, named 'Dugong,' and 'Lobster,' are
dominated by large calderas at depths of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) and
1,500 meters (4,900 feet).
During the six-week research expedition in the Pacific Ocean, scientists
from The Australian National University (ANU), CSIRO Exploration &
Mining and the United States, collaborated to survey the topography of
the seafloor, analyzing rock types and formation, and monitoring
deep-sea hot spring activity around an area known as the North Lau
Basin, 400 km (250 miles) northeast of Fiji.
Chief Scientist, ANU Professor Richard Arculus describes the terrain as
spectacular.
"Some of the features look like the volcanic blisters seen on the
surface of Venus," he said. "These active volcanoes are modern day
evidence of mineral deposition such as copper, zinc, and lead and give
an insight into the geological make-up of Australia.
"It provides a model of what happened millions of years ago to explain
the formation of the deposits of precious minerals that are currently
exploited at places like Broken Hill and Mount Isa. It may also provide
exploration geologists with clues about new undiscovered mineral
deposits in Australia.
CSIRO's Director of Research Vessels, Captain Fred Stein, says the
expedition was a humbling experience. "It was a reminder that at the
beginning of the 21st century it is still possible -– on what is often
regarded as a thoroughly explored planet -– to discover a previously
unknown massif larger than Mount Kosciuszko," he said.