Marine scientists discover deepest undersea erupting volcano

Scientists funded by the National Science Foundation and NOAA have recorded the deepest erupting volcano yet discovered -- West Mata Volcano -- describing high-definition video of the undersea eruption as "spectacular."

"For the first time we have been able to examine, up close, the way ocean islands and submarine volcanoes are born," said Barbara Ransom, program director in NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. "The unusual primitive compositions of the West Mata eruption lavas have much to tell us."

The volcanic eruption, discovered in May, is nearly 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, in an area bounded by Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

Western Washington University is a participant in this research. For more information, visit https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?org=NSF&cntn_id=116098.