Ocean researchers in the Arctic have discovered an underwater volcano spewing mud and methane out of a larger crater that probably formed after a catastrophic eruption at the end of the last ice age. Researchers have detected an unusual feature on Earth about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Bear Island, or Björnei, in the Barents Sea, Norway. The volcano, which the team named Borealis mud volcano, is only the second of its kind to be discovered in Norwegian waters.

“Exploration of the seabed and discovery of new ones [протоків] “Methane is like searching for hidden treasures,” he said. Stefan BuentzHe is a professor at the Norwegian Arctic University (University of Tromsø) and one of the leaders of the Institute for the Advancement of Methane Knowledge (AKMA) in the Arctic. ) expedition that made the discovery. “Every time we go down to the bottom of the sea, we have the feeling that we are just beginning to understand the great and incredible diversity of such systems. [просочування]Buentz said in translation expression.

An underwater mud volcano is a geological structure formed by the release of turbid liquid and gas, primarily methane.

The Borealis mud volcano is about 23 feet (7 meters) in diameter and about 8 feet (2.5 m) tall. On May 7, scientists used a remotely operated rover to capture images of a small mountain constantly spewing a cloudy liquid that researchers say is rich in methane. When methane reaches Earth’s atmosphere, it is a potent greenhouse gas and contributes to the atmosphere. climate change.

The volcano is in the middle of another much larger crater, 984 feet (300 m) wide and 82 feet (25 m) deep. According to the statement, this exceptional formation is located 400 m below the sea surface and was probably the result of a sudden and powerful methane explosion that occurred after the last ice age 18,000 years ago.

“Seeing an underwater explosion in real time reminds me how ‘alive’ our planet is,” he said in a statement. Giuliana PanieriProfessor of geology at the Norwegian Arctic University and leader of the expedition.

Researchers have found that the volcano’s slopes are littered with animals feeding on carbonate crust, a mineral crust formed when microorganisms consume methane and produce bicarbonate as a byproduct, according to a 2019 study in the International Journal of Environmental and Public Health Research. year before. They observed sea anemones, sponges, corals, starfish, sea spiders, and various crustaceans.

The only other known mud volcano in Norwegian waters is Haakon-Mosby. This 0.6-mile (1 km) wide feature was discovered in 1995 on the seafloor south of Svalbard 4,100 feet (1,250 m) below the water surface, according to the University of Bergen Center for Geobiology. According to the 2021 Earth System Sciences Lecture Notes, underwater mud volcanoes are difficult to detect and map, but researchers believe there may be hundreds or thousands of volcanoes on the seafloor worldwide.

These volcanoes provide a rare window into the geological processes that occur deep in the earth’s crust, as they extract mainly water, minerals and fine sediments from these depths. Panieri said they also offer clues about past environments and conditions on Earth and could provide information about systems on other planets.

Expedition FLOWING consists of three parts and investigates methane activity in polar waters. Scientists are now looking for similar formations in the Arctic. “We do not rule out the possibility of discovering other mud volcanoes in the Barents Sea,” Panieri said. Said.