An underwater volcano surrounded by sharks may seem like something from a science fiction film, but "Sharkcano" is real and it's erupting, according to new satellite photographs.
The undersea volcano known as Kavachi erupted earlier this month. NASA's Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) captured stunning images atop the Landsat 9 satellite. A greenish cloud of superhot, acidic water billows from the underwater volcano among the inky blue seas of the southwest Pacific Ocean.
Kavachi Volcano in the Solomon Islands is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the Pacific. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, the volcano entered an eruptive phase in October 2021 and satellite data showed discolored water around Kavachi on several days in April and May 2022.
NASA Satellite Underwater 'Sharkcano' Erupting
Kavachi is roughly 15 miles south of Vangunu Island, part of the Solomon Islands east of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the sea god of the Indigenous Gatokae and Vangunu people.
According to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Global Volcanism Program, it's one of the most active undersea volcanoes in this section of the Pacific, erupting practically constantly since at least 1939, when islanders living on surrounding islands first noticed an eruption.
Rejo te Kvachi, which means "Kavachi's Oven," is another name for the volcano, which refers to the superheated lava, steam, particulates, rock fragments, and sulfur that occasionally reach the water's surface. According to NASA, the volcano's top is about 65 feet below sea level. In contrast, the volcano's base is nearly three-quarters of a mile below sea level.
Kavachi has formed several ephemeral islands spread up to a kilometer in length over its known existence. These islands, however, have always been destroyed and wiped away by the ocean's waves. It also causes spectacular phreatomagmatic eruptions, in which superheated magma and water collide to generate intense, steamy explosions.
A 2015 exploration discovered two kinds of sharks and active microbial ecosystems living within the volcano's crater, earning the nickname "Sharkcano." A multinational team saw scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) and silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) surviving in the hot, acidic water using a baited drop camera.
According to the researchers, Kavachi is a "fascinating natural laboratory" that "remains full of mysteries to explore," Their findings were published in the journal Oceanography in 2016. NASA has been following the eruptions of Kavachi for some time, producing equally amazing photographs in 2007 and 2014.
Sharks Found in The Area
As mentioned above, the silky shark and the hammerhead shark were the two kinds sighted in the area. The Sun included some crucial details about both sharks below.
Silky Sharks
Before the sharkcano exploded, mutant silky sharks have discovered dwelling there.
Their name comes from the smoothness of their skin.
They have short dorsal fins and may grow to be over eight feet long.
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The silky shark may be found in tropical seas all around the world.
They have razor-sharp teeth and could easily bite a person.
On the other hand, a silky shark attack is extremely unusual since people are rarely in their environment.
Hammerhead shark
The strangely formed heads of hammerhead sharks give them their name.
They may grow considerably larger than silky sharks, reaching up to 20 feet in length. Hammerhead sharks are nocturnal hunters who devour fish, octopuses, and squid.
They are also found in warmer seas all across the planet and swim in groups. They would not intentionally chase a person, but if provoked, they will attack.
For the time being, these and many other scientific questions raised by "Sharkcano" remain unresolved. However, the fascinating geomorphological feature-complete with sharks roaming around its hazardous, lava-spewing vent-continues to captivate people's interest worldwide.
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