Scientists on the College of Hawai’i at Mānoa have proved that appears will be deceiving.
Scientists surveyed the ocean flooring and used quantitative modeling to find out that the volcano, which is about 171 miles lengthy and 56 miles vast, is twice the scale of Mauna Loa.
“Pūhāhonu is very large,” the research reads. A lot in order that it’s inflicting the Earth’s crust to sink.
“Speedy loading of the crust causes it to subside,” Michael Garcia, lead writer of the research, advised CNN. “When a large volcano kinds, the recent mantle flows away from the load permitting the volcano to sink.”
Positioned about 1,000 kilometers north west of Honolulu, Pūhāhonu’s title interprets to “turtle surfacing for air” in Hawaiian. The small peaks above sea degree have additionally been referred to as “Gardner Pinnacles.”
American whaler Maro first sighted Pūhāhonu in 1820, and the crew of a Russian vessel first landed on it in 1828. The volcano is now a part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Nationwide Monument, established in 2006.
A 1974 research initially thought of Pūhāhonu as the most important volcano within the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain, primarily based on restricted survey information. Later research, which examined each what’s above and beneath the floor of the ocean, concluded that Mauna Loa was the most important volcano. The present research updates that conclusion.
Pūhāhonu is just not solely the most important volcano on the planet, it is usually the most well liked. The 2 issues are interconnected, Garcia mentioned.
“Quantity and temperature go hand in hand. Massive quantity comes from sizzling magma. It’s extra prone to erupt whether it is sizzling,” Garcia advised CNN.
An evaluation of rocks sampled from the volcano was used to find out the magma temperature, and located it to be about 1,700 levels Celsius (3,092 levels Farehenheit).
“Discovering Earth’s largest protect volcano within the 21st Century is a stunning discovery, however then we all know extra concerning the floor of Mars than what’s beneath the ocean on Earth,” Garcia advised CNN.
“We’re nonetheless discovering issues about our bodily planet that we didn’t know. There’s nonetheless a lot to find out about planet Earth.”
— to www.cnn.com
