Submarine volcano

Using a technique to study seismic waves, researchers revealed a previously unknown magma chamber underneath a the Kolumbo submarine volcano.

[volcanoes](https://www.livescience.com/27295-volcanoes.html) in the world, and according to [historical accounts](https://santory.gr/eruption/) (opens in new tab), its last eruption in A.D. Further calculations revealed that the magma chamber has been growing at a rate of 141 million cubic feet (4 million cubic meters) per year ever since its eruption in 1650. "Continuous monitoring systems would allow us to have a better estimation of when an eruption might occur. The new study illustrates how important it is to closely monitor undersea volcanoes. By gathering data about the velocity of seismic waves traveling through the ground, researchers can get a sense of where magma is forming. That was the estimated amount of magma Kolumbo ejected nearly 400 years ago. "It uses sound waves to construct an image of the underground structure of a volcano." In an attempt to overcome this problem, researchers decided to try a different technique to study the inner mechanics of Kolumbo. Those seismic waves were measured by monitors on the seafloor. 22, 2022, in the journal [Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems](https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010475) (opens in new tab) revealed that the previously undetected magma chamber growing beneath the Kolumbo volcano could lead to another eruption, thus endangering residents and tourists on Santorini. For example, a type of seismic wave called a P-wave travels more slowly if the rock is more like a liquid, like magma, than it does through hardened rock. Kolumbo is one of the most active submarine