Post by Andrei Tchentchik on May 3, 2020 17:00:21 GMT 2
(.#455).- The huge underwater volcano has an unprecedented magma chamber. 2020.
Mayotte: the huge underwater volcano has a unique magma chamber!
By: Yohan Demeure, scientific writer
January 14, 2020, 12 h 00 min
Credits: TEAM MAYOBS - IPGP / CNRS / IFREMER / BRGM
More than a year ago, an underwater volcano in formation was discovered under Mayotte, a piece of France located in the Indian Ocean. However, this news had frightened the local population. Now we know a lot more about this training.
The population is afraid
From the start of 2018, Mayotte was shaken by regular small earthquakes, at the rate of about five a day. In July 2019, the Mayobs scientific mission made it possible to determine the origin of these tremors. It was the birth of an underwater volcano, 800 meters high and located a few dozen kilometers from the coast and 3,500 meters deep. A little later, the Mayobs 2 mission reported a lava flow south of the volcano. This flow covered an area of 8 km² for a volume of 0.2 cubic km. This was a sign of another area of volcanic activity.
Obviously, the researchers were very interested in this discovery. Nevertheless, the population of Mayotte was logically much more reserved. Indeed, the fear of risks linked to the volcano was very present. However, it is still too early to decide on these possible risks. In any case, the frequency of earthquakes has gradually decreased and an action plan to protect the population has been put in place.
A unique magmatic room
According to a publication in the journal Nature Geoscience of January 6, 2020, the volcano has finally revealed its secrets. This study, conducted by the German research center GeoForschungsZentrum, identified the pocket of magma. We are talking about a volcano whose magma chamber is located 30 kilometers deep. As for its volume, the latter is about 3.5 cubic kilometers! It is quite simply the largest and deepest magma chamber ever observed in the Earth's upper mantle to date.
Credits: GeoForschungsZentrum / Nature Geoscience
The researchers said that beyond the small earthquakes, an unknown sound from the depths of the Earth had been detected. These were long low frequency vibrations - several tens of minutes - similar to the ringing of a bell. These signals, dubbed Very Lonf Period (VLP), resulted from the oscillation of resonance in the magma chamber located under the Earth's crust. However, it was the tearing of the earth's crust that allowed the escape of magma and the creation of the volcano.
According to researchers at GeoForschungsZentrum, the imposing eruption therefore took place in the depths. However, the risks for Mayotte are very real. Indeed, the earth's crust around the reservoir could collapse and generate significant earthquakes.
F I N .
Mayotte: the huge underwater volcano has a unique magma chamber!
By: Yohan Demeure, scientific writer
January 14, 2020, 12 h 00 min
Credits: TEAM MAYOBS - IPGP / CNRS / IFREMER / BRGM
More than a year ago, an underwater volcano in formation was discovered under Mayotte, a piece of France located in the Indian Ocean. However, this news had frightened the local population. Now we know a lot more about this training.
The population is afraid
From the start of 2018, Mayotte was shaken by regular small earthquakes, at the rate of about five a day. In July 2019, the Mayobs scientific mission made it possible to determine the origin of these tremors. It was the birth of an underwater volcano, 800 meters high and located a few dozen kilometers from the coast and 3,500 meters deep. A little later, the Mayobs 2 mission reported a lava flow south of the volcano. This flow covered an area of 8 km² for a volume of 0.2 cubic km. This was a sign of another area of volcanic activity.
Obviously, the researchers were very interested in this discovery. Nevertheless, the population of Mayotte was logically much more reserved. Indeed, the fear of risks linked to the volcano was very present. However, it is still too early to decide on these possible risks. In any case, the frequency of earthquakes has gradually decreased and an action plan to protect the population has been put in place.
A unique magmatic room
According to a publication in the journal Nature Geoscience of January 6, 2020, the volcano has finally revealed its secrets. This study, conducted by the German research center GeoForschungsZentrum, identified the pocket of magma. We are talking about a volcano whose magma chamber is located 30 kilometers deep. As for its volume, the latter is about 3.5 cubic kilometers! It is quite simply the largest and deepest magma chamber ever observed in the Earth's upper mantle to date.
Credits: GeoForschungsZentrum / Nature Geoscience
The researchers said that beyond the small earthquakes, an unknown sound from the depths of the Earth had been detected. These were long low frequency vibrations - several tens of minutes - similar to the ringing of a bell. These signals, dubbed Very Lonf Period (VLP), resulted from the oscillation of resonance in the magma chamber located under the Earth's crust. However, it was the tearing of the earth's crust that allowed the escape of magma and the creation of the volcano.
According to researchers at GeoForschungsZentrum, the imposing eruption therefore took place in the depths. However, the risks for Mayotte are very real. Indeed, the earth's crust around the reservoir could collapse and generate significant earthquakes.
F I N .
