Is it possible for volcanos to be active deep within the ocean?

Question

I was watching the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle and remembered watching a program on The Discovery Channel some months back regarding a volcanic eruption in the late 1800s somewhere around Indonesia. The eruption was of such that it created electrical charges in the air. Ships on the sea lost their ability to navigate as their compasses quit working correctly. Is it possible that such phenomena could happen beneath the seas? And if so, could that be a possible explanation for some of the mysteries that lie beneath the Bermuda Triangle?

Answer 1

The short answer to your first question would be: yes. It is possible for volcanoes to be active deep within the ocean. "Active" or magmatic submarine volcanoes at great ocean depths may not be obvious at the ocean's surface but can be detected by hydrophones/water discoloration. Pillow lava is often seen near submarine volcanoes. The depth would have a lot to do with the eruption. The massive volcanic eruption you mention was at Krakatoa. This area is full of hot spots, but that particular eruption in 1883 was the loudest explosion in recorded history. If you are interested in further reading, there is a very well-written book called _The Day the World Exploded_ which details the explosion of Krakatoa. I don't know much about the Bermuda Triangle or that area of the world but magnetic anomalies on the ocean floor is nothing new. Google "sea floor spreading" for more information.

Answer 2

It is possible for volcanoes to erupt under the surface of the ocean. This is how the Hawaiian Islands formed; originally, they were undersea volcanoes that grew and grew until eventually they emerged from the ocean.

However, this would not go unnoticed. Scientists have a quite extensive network of undersea listening stations and volcanoes are quite noisy. Especially if it was on the scale of Krakatoa (the Indonesian volcano you mention), it would register on every seismometer and undersea audio sensor in the world. Also, Krakatoa was a short-term event, and the alleged "Bermuda Triangle" has been ongoing for half a century.

Answer 3

Yes, it is possible, and I'm not too sure about Bermuda's triangle, but the volcanoes does connect to Tsunami, to cause a huge wave, and Tsunami drowns the ship in the middle of the sea till it cools down. Tsunami never reach the country because of it. At that specific area, so they call it 'Bermuda's triangle'.

Answer 4

The answer to the first question is yes, there are eruptions in the dep of oceans, but there are not a lot of destruction cause the water. This liquit work drying and make solid the lava by the time it comes from the eart. And there are a lot of volcanos under the see even more than in continents.

Answer 5

There are very many active volcano's in the ocean. Most go unseen, due to the depth of the water. Most eruptions are gas pockets, and release them into the water. If you have a major eruption, you sometimes get an under sea earthquake, like the one that spawned the tidal wave that killed thousands of people. Our earth is forever changing, and were always going to have these events. It just may only happen once in your life time.

Answer 6

I don't know about the Bermuda Triangle, but volcanoes can be active under the ocean. That's how islands are created...

But that could be the answer to the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle...

Answer 7

This site says there are over 5,000 active underwater volcanoes:
http://www.crystalinks.com/volcanoesunderwater.html
Interesting theory about the Bermuda Triangle.... hmmm

Answer 8

yes, there's a possibility that volcanoes within the ocean be active. The occurence of tsunamis / tidal waves are due to the volcanoes exploded within the ocean.

Answer 9

I like your reasoning but I would think for something of that magnitude, some scientist somewhere would notice it. Plus, it would have to have been going on for a rather long time which goes back to someone noticing it. But what do I know? I'm still in college afterall.

Answer 10

yes but i think some scientists would have realized a volocano right next to florida besides the volcano would have created some earthquakes causing tsunamies on florida