Huge underwater volcano found off Indonesia

Research team calls for further exploration after stumbling upon 3,000m volcano
  • The Guardian,
A 3,000m volcano deep below the water's surface has been discovered off Indonesia's Sulawesi island. Photograph: Irwin Fedriansyah/AP

Scientists on a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Indonesia have discovered an underwater volcano that towers 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) above the ocean floor, yet remains far from sight beneath the water's surface.

The volcano was discovered by a group of US and Indonesian researchers who are using a powerful sonar system and a robotic vehicle with high-definition video to explore marine ecosystems off Sulawesi island.

"This is a huge undersea volcano, taller than all but three or four mountains in Indonesia," said Jim Holden, the chief US scientist for the first leg of the joint expedition.

The researchers hope the maps and video produced from the journey will pave the way for others to follow up on their preliminary findings.

"The more we understand these undersea features and the communities of life they support, the better we can manage and protect the ocean and its resources," said Holden, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Sugiarta Wirasantosa, the chief Indonesian scientist for the project, said the research could contribute to protecting ecosystems that support fisheries.

The expedition concludes on 14 August.

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