Pumice raft: Difference between revisions
Large pumice raft seen 10/08/12 |
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Volcanic activity in the South Pacific near [[Tonga]] on August 12, 2006 caused the emergence of a new island. The crew of the Maiken, a yacht that had left the northern Tongan islands group of [[Vava'u]] in August, reported that they had seen streaks of light, porous [[pumice]] stone floating in the water—and then had "sailed into a vast, many-miles-wide belt of densely packed pumice."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://yacht-maiken.blogspot.com/2006/08/stone-sea-and-volcano.html |title=Stone sea and volcano |work=Fredrik and Crew on Maiken |publisher=[[Blogger (service)|Blogger]] |date=2006-08-17 |accessdate=2008-11-07}}</ref> They went on to witness the ephemeral island known as [[Home Reef]] breaching the surface.<ref>[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=17610 New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga], NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, November 2006</ref> |
Volcanic activity in the South Pacific near [[Tonga]] on August 12, 2006 caused the emergence of a new island. The crew of the Maiken, a yacht that had left the northern Tongan islands group of [[Vava'u]] in August, reported that they had seen streaks of light, porous [[pumice]] stone floating in the water—and then had "sailed into a vast, many-miles-wide belt of densely packed pumice."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://yacht-maiken.blogspot.com/2006/08/stone-sea-and-volcano.html |title=Stone sea and volcano |work=Fredrik and Crew on Maiken |publisher=[[Blogger (service)|Blogger]] |date=2006-08-17 |accessdate=2008-11-07}}</ref> They went on to witness the ephemeral island known as [[Home Reef]] breaching the surface.<ref>[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=17610 New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga], NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, November 2006</ref> |
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Pumice rafts drifted to [[Fiji]] in 1979 and 1984 from eruptions around Tonga, and some were reportedly {{convert|30|km|mi|sp=us}} wide. |
Pumice rafts drifted to [[Fiji]] in 1979 and 1984 from eruptions around Tonga, and some were reportedly {{convert|30|km|mi|sp=us}} wide. |
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On 10 August 2012 a raft with an estimated area of 10,000 sq miles was observed near Raoul Island, North-East of New Zealand<ref>{{cite web|title=Vast volcanic 'raft' found in Pacific, near New Zealand|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19207810|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=10 August 2012}}</ref> . |
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Biologists suggest that animals and plants have [[Animal migration|migrated]] from island to island on pumice rafts.<ref>[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=17605 New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga], NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, August 2006</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nunn|first=Patrick D.|title=Vanished Islands and Hidden Continents of the Pacific|year=2008|publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|isbn=978-0-8248-3219-3|page=59}}</ref> |
Biologists suggest that animals and plants have [[Animal migration|migrated]] from island to island on pumice rafts.<ref>[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=17605 New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga], NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, August 2006</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nunn|first=Patrick D.|title=Vanished Islands and Hidden Continents of the Pacific|year=2008|publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|isbn=978-0-8248-3219-3|page=59}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 17:43, 10 August 2012
A pumice raft is a floating raft of pumice occasionally created by ocean-based or near-ocean volcanic activity.
Volcanic activity in the South Pacific near Tonga on August 12, 2006 caused the emergence of a new island. The crew of the Maiken, a yacht that had left the northern Tongan islands group of Vava'u in August, reported that they had seen streaks of light, porous pumice stone floating in the water—and then had "sailed into a vast, many-miles-wide belt of densely packed pumice."[1] They went on to witness the ephemeral island known as Home Reef breaching the surface.[2]
Pumice rafts drifted to Fiji in 1979 and 1984 from eruptions around Tonga, and some were reportedly 30 kilometers (19 mi) wide. On 10 August 2012 a raft with an estimated area of 10,000 sq miles was observed near Raoul Island, North-East of New Zealand[3] .
Biologists suggest that animals and plants have migrated from island to island on pumice rafts.[4][5]
Astrobiologists have hypothetically linked pumice rafts to the origin of life.[6] See Abiogenesis.
See also
References
- ^ "Stone sea and volcano". Fredrik and Crew on Maiken. Blogger. 2006-08-17. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga, NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, November 2006
- ^ "Vast volcanic 'raft' found in Pacific, near New Zealand". BBC News. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ New Island and Pumice Raft, Tonga, NASA Earth Observatory photo with commentary, August 2006
- ^ Nunn, Patrick D. (2008). Vanished Islands and Hidden Continents of the Pacific. University of Hawai'i Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-8248-3219-3.
- ^ Martin D. Brasier, Richard Matthewman, Sean McMahon and David Wacey. "Pumice as a Remarkable Substrate for the Origin of Life" Astrobiology. August 31, 2011
External links
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