Weird Underwater Volcano Discovered Near Baja

Something new for Southern Californians to worry about...

SOURCE 1
Scientists Find Violent And Weird Underwater Volcano Near Baja, California - Tectonic Forces Are Tearing the Earth's Crust Apart, Creating A Long Rift Where Magma Oozes Toward The Surface!

December 14, 2012 – CALIFORNIA , UNITED STATES -

Scientists have discovered one of the world's weirdest volcanoes on the seafloor near the tip of Baja, Mexico. The petite dome — about 165 feet tall (50 meters) and 4,000 feet long by 1,640 feet wide (1,200 m by 500 m) — lies along the Alarcón Rise, a seafloor-spreading center. Tectonic forces are tearing the Earth's crust apart at the spreading center, creating a long rift where magma oozes toward the surface, cools and forms new ocean crust. Circling the planet like baseball seams, seafloor-spreading centers (also called mid-ocean ridges) produce copious amounts of basalt, a low-silica content lava rock that makes up the ocean crust.

SOURCE 2
Weird Underwater Volcano Discovered Near Baja

But samples from the newly discovered volcano are strangely rhyolite lava, and have the highest silica content (up to 77 percent) of any rocks collected from a midocean ridge, said Brian Dreyer, a geochemist at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The results were presented last week at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

reply to post by happykat39


Probably the cause for this mornings earthquakes...


Regardless, thanks for the info.

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by happykat39

 

Probably the cause for this mornings earthquakes...


Regardless, thanks for the info.

This is what I have been thinking too. There is most likely a connection between the quake and the volcano.

I don't know much about tectonics but I'm a little worried that the San Andreas might be really stuck . With the plates trying to slide past each other if the fault's stuck bad enough it could be causing a rip off to one side it . I'm hoping somebody out there can tell me why I'm wrong .

reply to post by happykat39

Thanks for the info happycat39. I simply love volcanoes!

I've always found volcanoes to be an excellent example of the power and beauty of our planet. I would absolutely love to see an underwater volcano in person, but that will probably never come to pass. I have been to volcanoes in Hawaii and Washington and had a brief visit to Yellowstone. They never cease to amaze me!

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by happykat39

 

Probably the cause for this mornings earthquakes...


Regardless, thanks for the info.

I doubt it, that volcano is 1338km away

I think id worry more about the rift than the volcano.................any more details on it?

I wonder if this had anything to do with that recent mass squid die-off in California. Scientists were especially confused because the squid were found much further away from their natural habitat, which is Baja's Sea of Cortez.

Originally posted by deometer
I wonder if this had anything to do with that recent mass squid die-off in California. Scientists were especially confused because the squid were found much further away from their natural habitat, which is Baja's Sea of Cortez.

I completely forgot about that , thanks for reminding me . I used to live in southern California and I know that even in normal times crude oil actually oozes from the seafloor in places . I know just heat and gasses could do that to the squid but that's pretty far away . I'd be very interested in finding out if the crude seepage is picking up or if other things are starting to rise .

reply to post by deometer


That happened just south of the bay of San Fran.

Me thinks that's a tad bit too far away

Well, this isn't exactly correct. Scientists have known about the Alarcón Rise for yonks (according to my geologist parents).

And, what was discovered were hydrothermal vents, not a new volcano. Volcanic activity here is not news, but mapping the area and discovering/identifying 110 hydrothermal chimneys IS news.

This was all reported on at the fall AGU (American Geophysical Union) meeting, which you can read about here

Also, if you go to the original source of MBARI, you will see that the research trip began in February, the vents were identified in April 2012. Check It

Seems the news is out now because of the report at the annual AGU meeting, and it got twisted around to be "hey look! new volcano!", which is not accurate.

What is of note, however, is that when I asked my parents what they thought of the 6.3 EQ near Baja, they said "now that IS interesting!" Typical scientists, they wouldn't give me any good "predictions" but they did say it is being watched closely and is of concern.

reply to post by ns9504


A star to you for the up to date and more accurate information. Thank you.

Very interesting. I love volcanoes. Thank you for sharing.

I don't know if I should be amazed of confused, I guess I'm both. This is pretty interesting and I like it.

Good thread, and interesting discovery. Because the silica content is so high at near 77 percent, they are definitely concerned about the explosive potential under water, and the creation of a dangerous tsunami.