A HUGE underwater volcanic eruption thousands of kilometres away has caused magma to wash up on Tasmanian beaches. University of Tasmania vulcanologist Rebecca Carey has been tracking the solid magma – known as pumice – which has been travelling through the ocean for more than a year. Dr Carey will now journey to the volcano that created it, 1000kilometres north of Auckland, to find out more about the eruption. She is one of two Australians on the voyage, leaving from Hobart on United States vessel Roger Revelle. Two robots will be used to study the sea floor. ‘‘That is exciting in itself, but the Havre eruption is very interesting in that it challenges current controversies in submarine volcanism,’’ Dr Carey said. ‘‘For example, theory predicts eruptions of this magma type should not be explosive at about a 1000 metres below sea level. ‘‘This eruption was sourced from multiple vents that extend maybe as deep as 1600 metres but as shallow as 900 metres – so this eruption iscontradicting that theory,’’ she said. Dr Carey said the team was also interested in the role of water in the volcano’s eruptions.
A HUGE underwater volcanic eruption thousands of kilometres away has caused magma to wash up on Tasmanian beaches.
University of Tasmania vulcanologist Rebecca Carey has been tracking the solid magma – known as pumice – which has been travelling through the ocean for more than a year.
Dr Carey will now journey to the volcano that created it, 1000kilometres north of Auckland, to find out more about the eruption.
She is one of two Australians on the voyage, leaving from Hobart on United States vessel Roger Revelle.
Two robots will be used to study the sea floor.
‘‘That is exciting in itself, but the Havre eruption is very interesting in that it challenges current controversies in submarine volcanism,’’ Dr Carey said. ‘‘For example, theory predicts eruptions of this magma type should not be explosive at about a 1000 metres below sea level.
‘‘This eruption was sourced from multiple vents that extend maybe as deep as 1600 metres but as shallow as 900 metres – so this eruption iscontradicting that theory,’’ she said.
Dr Carey said the team was also interested in the role of water in the volcano’s eruptions.
University of Tasmanian vulcanologist Rebecca Carey has been tracking pumice washed up on Tasmanian beaches.
