It ’s often suppose we know more about the surface of theMoon , or evenMars , than the depths of Earth ’s ocean . It seems this is n’t just dead on target of the ridges and volcanic crater we escape by not surveying large parts of the ocean floor in detail , it even applies to the composition of the rocks on which the ocean lie down . A never - see - before type of basalt has been found whose chemistry points to eruptions bigger and hotter than any geologists were aware of , cogent evidence of the power the major planet can unleash .
The JOIDES Resolution research vas is tardily addressing the ocean - sized gaps in our knowledge , including drilling the Amami Sankakus Basin ( ASB ) south of Japan , part of the volcanic “ Ring of Fire ” . Six kilometer ( 3.6 miles ) beneath the surface , the Resolution drilled 1.5 kilometers ( 0.9 miles ) further into rock . " This was one of the deepest water ever to be considered for drilling , using a research vas specifically designed for such intriguing deep - ocean environments,”Dr Ivan Savovof the University of Leeds , UK , said in astatement .
The endeavor were pay back . Basalt is among the most common rock-and-roll on Earth , and indeed is present on other rocky man with volcanic past tense , theMoonandMarsincluded . Nevertheless , it has many different kind , depend on the ingredients that compose it and the temperature at which they are forged .
" The rocks that we recover are clearly different to rocks of this type that we already know about , ” Savov said . “ In fact , they may be as different to Earth ’s known ocean floor basalts as Earth ’s basalts are to the Moon ’s basalt . ”
The new type of basalt , which has not yet been kick in a name , form in an vast volcanic eruption around 49 million geezerhood ago , following the start of the subduction event when the Pacific Plate started sinking beneath the Mariana Plate . It cover an arena the size of it of westerly Europe but the whole event was over in 1 - 2 million years – short by geological standards . basalt produced at sites like this are unlike from those produced at mid - ocean ridges and also those produced on sea islands like Hawaii .
The ASB basalt is low in titanium and potassium compare to other basalts and bring out from the upper mantle at extremely gamy temperatures in an eruption on a musical scale beyond anything we see in the recent past tense . More than a klick of sediments have jam up on top since , explain why we have not keep this eccentric of basalt before , despite it cover such an immense area of the sea floor .
" Now that we know where and how this rock type is formed , we anticipate that many other rocks that we get it on were originally shape by ocean trading floor eruption will be re - canvas and potentially alter our wider intellect of the basalt formation , ” Savov aver .
