Giant Underwater Volcano Found
By Matt J. Weiss, May 30, 2009 @ 09:55 PM (EST)
Source: Iol.co.za
Jakarta - Scientists scouring the ocean floor to study the nature of tsunamis discovered a massive underwater volcano off Indonesia's western coast.
The 15,000-foot- (4,600-meter-) high mountain spans 30 miles (50 kilometers) at its base, Yusuf Surachman Djajadihardja, a marine geologist with the government's Agency for Assessment and Application Technology, said Friday. Its discovery was "completely unexpected," he said.
It was not immediately clear if the volcano is active, but he said if it were and it erupted, it would be "very, very dangerous."
An international team of scientists discovered the volcano 205 miles (330 kilometers) west of Sumatra island while carrying out a survey of the Indian Ocean floor earlier this month, Djajadihardja said. The tip of the volcano is 1,380 meters (1,260 yards) below the water's surface.
The 15,000-foot- (4,600-meter-) high mountain spans 30 miles (50 kilometers) at its base, Yusuf Surachman Djajadihardja, a marine geologist with the government's Agency for Assessment and Application Technology, said Friday. Its discovery was "completely unexpected," he said.
It was not immediately clear if the volcano is active, but he said if it were and it erupted, it would be "very, very dangerous."
An international team of scientists discovered the volcano 205 miles (330 kilometers) west of Sumatra island while carrying out a survey of the Indian Ocean floor earlier this month, Djajadihardja said. The tip of the volcano is 1,380 meters (1,260 yards) below the water's surface.
Comments
Jun 2, 2009 11:44 PM
Jason Heller wrote:
That's kinda crazy, wow
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