When an underwater volcano explodes, does the water put it out?
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
No, the water does not put out the eruption. The water has a hard time
getting into the inner plumbing of the volcano because as it tries to migrate
inward the first water to get in is converted to steam which is a good
insulator. This steam also expands enough to keep more water from
getting in. Of couse if the volcano fractures suddenly this situation
can change quickly, bringing large quantities of water into contact with
hot rocks or magma. This could generage steam explosions but very
quickly the hot rocks would cool (as they transfer their heat energy to the
water), and pretty soon you would end up in the same place, with cool
rocks on the outside, a little bit of water percolating inward and being
converted to insulating steam.
We also know that water cannot put out undersea eruptions because undersea
eruptions are so common. They are what have produced all of the ocean floor.
Additonally, volcanoes that are presently islands above sea level had to grow
from the ocean floor first. If the water was able to put out eruptions then
we wouldn't see ocean volcanoes such as the Hawaiian examples. All Hawaiian
volcanoes are actually taller from the ocean floor to sea level than they are
from sea level to their summits!
Sincerely,
Scott Rowland
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