Acidic and overheated water surrounds an underwater volcano called a “shark” in fresh images from the Landsat 9 satellite.
The discolored water is visible from space in the area around Kavachi Volcano in the Solomon Islands, a Pacific island nation east of Papua New Guinea, in a recently published image (opens a new tab) in NASA Earth Observatory website.
Its unusual nickname, “sharkcano”, is a look at the two species of sharks in the Solomon Islands, according to (opens a new tab) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Sharks appear to be quite tolerant of acidic conditions, as Kavachi is “one of the most active underwater volcanoes in the Pacific,” as Goddard tweeted Sunday (May 22nd).
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Kavachi is located in the middle of a tectonically active region and near a subduction zone about 18 miles (30 kilometers) southwest, said NASA Earth Observatory (opens in a new tab). ) on May 14th. Volcano lavas can be basaltic (rich in magnesium and iron). ) to the andesitic richest in silica.
However, there is a lot of life present even in the midst of harsh conditions.
“Acidic and overheated water usually contains particles, volcanic rock fragments and sulfur,” the NASA Earth Observatory added. “A 2015 scientific expedition to the volcano found two species of sharks, including hammers, that lived in the submerged crater. Researchers also found microbial communities that thrive on sulfur.”
A plume of discolored water surrounds Kavachi Volcano in the Solomon Islands in this satellite image published on May 14, 2022. (Image Credit: Images from Joshua Stevens’ NASA Earth Observatory, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey).
The volcano has been erupting almost continuously since its first activity in 1939 and is known to create temporary islands of debris that are swept away by the ocean. Nearby residents often see steam and ash, NASA said.
“The island is named after a sea god from the villages of Gatokae and Vangunu, and is sometimes also known as Rejo te Kvachi, or‘ Kavachi Oven, ’” the agency said.
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