Undersea eruption creates pumice raft

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Undersea eruption creates pumice raft

3News NZ

The Air Force's Orion took this photo 85 nautical miles West South-West of Raoul Island

The Air Force's Orion took this photo 85 nautical miles West South-West of Raoul Island

New Zealand scientists are investigating an undersea volcanic eruption which has created a large "pumice raft" 400km west of Raoul Island.

GNS Science vulcanologist Craig Miller told NZ Newswire that the Royal New Zealand Air Force has provided photographs of the pumice raft and New Zealand's National Maritime Coordination Centre has reported a sea disturbance 100 nautical miles long and 25 nautical miles wide, located 400km west of Raoul Island.

It was originally thought that the undersea volcano Monowai had erupted but it's northeast of Raoul Island.

Mr Miller said the pumice raft has been caused by an undersea eruption.

When magma flows into the sea it quickly cools and turns into pumice and then floats to the surface.

Asked if the undersea eruption was linked to the eruption of Mt Tongariro and an eruption on White Island this week he said: "It's all along the same boundary but that is about where the link stops".

The navy vessel Canterbury has picked up samples of the pumice and GNS scientists are on board the vessel.

Raoul Island is part of Kermadec Islands and is 1100km northeast of New Zealand. The area is a known source of volcanic activity.

 

 
NZN

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Comments

12/08/2012 4:55:15 p.m.

Jenny Fawcett wrote:

I am curious if this has anything to do with the unusual amount of pumice washing into Port Fairy bay. It ranges from gravel, rocks to small boulder size pieces, and littered the shoreline at high tide level

11/08/2012 7:14:46 p.m.

nuclearnuttery wrote:

been very worried about juan de fuca for a year or more. now with the 6.0 in alaska there is good reason to worry -- a lot. with this report, double double toil and trouble lol

11/08/2012 4:09:06 p.m.

David wrote:

Do those who claim that the events are linked have any qualifications, let alone any empirical evidence, to support such suggestions? We need facts, not fearmongering. You cannot say that the scientists are wrong when you know little of the science itself!

11/08/2012 1:42:33 p.m.

paul towson wrote:

What exactly would Craig Miller gain by lying?

11/08/2012 1:26:34 a.m.

James wrote:

Just a way to stop panic from starting by saying its not linked. And I thought everyone knew.. VISH, you should educate youself to self examine facts/info instead of believing anything a scientists would say. They are not 100% correct.

10/08/2012 11:15:39 p.m.

Michael Steel wrote:

Even the village idiot would understand these seismic events are related. For 'scientists' to tell us otherwise is just a joke!. Lava will flow.

10/08/2012 9:01:25 p.m.

Vish wrote:

They are not linked. Get an education and learn about geology before you say scientists are wrong.

10/08/2012 6:04:48 p.m.

hannah jack wrote:

This infomation means nothing to us in New Zealand....What are they not telling us Its ovious that something is unsettled below.

10/08/2012 5:40:47 p.m.

Chris wrote:

There's no way its a coincidence, scientists are wrong and probability says that they are all linked.

10/08/2012 3:46:13 p.m.

adam wrote:

Nothing out of the ordinary no coincidence at all no volcanic activity out of the ordinary new zealand....... yea right