Submarine Ring of Fire 2006: Mariana Arc Highlight Video

These video clips were collected in deepwater on the Mariana arc by the Jason II remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The ROV dives were conducted from Research Vessel Melville in the Northwest Pacific between April 18 - May 13, 2006.

The region of exploration is within the farthest reaches of U.S. waters, in the vicinity of the Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

When scientists departed from Guam on April 18, 2006, they had high expectations, but none of them suspected the full magnitude of the discoveries they would make.

The discovery of the "Cauldron" sulfur pond was extraordinary. It provided the science party with a unique window into what they now believe is an extensive subsurface infiltration of molten sulfur within many of the active arc volcanoes.

Scientist also witnessed for the first time glowing lava from a submarine volcanic eruption! In this case, the lava was rising in the vent so fast that a small glimpse of red glow could be seen intermittently before it crusted over or blew apart.

The Jason ROV is operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as part of the National Deep Submergence Facility which is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research and NOAA. Video courtesy of Submarine Ring of Fire 2006 Exploration, NOAA Vents Program.

Source: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explora...