Knowra Submarine volcano Submarine volcano A volcano that erupts or has erupted beneath the ocean. Its eruptions can build seamounts, create new oceanic crust, or eventually form volcanic islands.
Pillow lava : Rounded, tube-like masses of basalt formed when lava cools rapidly underwater. Its characteristic forms record lava erupting directly into seawater.
Seafloor spreading : The creation of oceanic crust as tectonic plates move apart. Spreading centers continuously feed magma into submarine volcanic systems.
Axial Seamount : An active submarine volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the northeast Pacific. Repeated eruptions and seafloor measurements make it a closely monitored example.
Volcanic tsunami : A tsunami generated by volcanic activity, such as an eruption, collapse, or landslide. Submarine eruptions and flank failures can displace water and threaten coasts.
Subaerial volcano : A volcano that erupts above the surface of the ocean or land. Without surrounding seawater, its eruptions experience different pressure and cooling conditions.
Hydrothermal vent : A seafloor opening that releases heated, mineral-rich water. Submarine volcanic heat drives many vents and their chemical plumes.
Mid-ocean ridge : An underwater mountain chain where tectonic plates diverge and new oceanic crust forms. Ridge crests host widespread volcanic eruptions beneath the sea.
West Mata volcano : A submarine volcano in the Lau Basin, known for observed deep-sea eruptions. Its 2009 eruption provided direct video evidence of underwater volcanism.
Volcanic gas : Gas released from magma, commonly including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur compounds. Gas measurements can indicate magma movement and influence seawater chemistry.
Fissure eruption : An eruption in which lava emerges along an elongated crack in Earth's crust. This describes an eruption's geometry, not whether the volcano lies underwater.
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