Underwater volcano are fascinating yet still mysterious
Photo via NOAA
Deep-sea volcanoes are incredibly rich, thriving ecosystems -- but ecosystems we know very little about. Part of that is because they're really hard to get to. But what if we could simply set up a system of high definition cameras and sensors to constantly monitor the areas and send us a steady stream of information? That's the goal of oceanographer John Delaney, who is heading up a team working on creating an underwater network of tools that can open up a wealth of information about how these important areas of the ocean function.
The project is part of NSF's Ocean Observatories Initiative, and starting this year, robotic sensor arrays will be installed along the Juan de Fuca Ridge and other areas throughout the water column. The information gathered by the sensors will be sent along electro-optical cables and linked up to the Internet.
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Delaney hopes that this use of our high tech tools will reveal information thus far nearly impossible to gather, such as exactly what it's like during an underwater volcano eruption, the migration patterns of various species, how undersea earthquakes and storms work, and so forth.
Check out an energizing TED Talk given by Delaney about the project:
Our oceans are in a state of flux that humans haven't witnessed before, with its chemistry altering due to acidification and pollution, and species disappearing due to overfishing and destroyed ecosystems. An underwater lab like this could reveal all sorts of clues to the functions of the ocean and its inhabitants that can help us better understand, care for, and restore it.
