(See description below)

Submarine Ring of Fire Expedition to the Mariana Volcanic Arc
April 18-May 13, 2006. 

This video clip shows eruptive activity at the NW Rota-1 submarine volcano in the Mariana Arc. The rumbling sound  from the volcano was recorded by a hydrophone (underwater microphone).  This is the first time that glowing lava has ever been witnessed from a submarine volcanic eruption!   In this case, the lava is rising in the vent so fast that glimpses of red glow can be seen intermittently before it crusts over or is blown apart.  

The expedition was conducted from the research vessel Melville, operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (San Diego, CA), using the remotely operated vehicle JASON II, operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Woods Hole, MA).  Robert Embley (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory - NOAA/PMEL) was the Chief Scientist.  For more information, see the NOAA Ocean Exploration web site at:

 http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06fire/

Major funding for this expedition was provided by NOAA Ocean Exploration Program and NOAA Vents Program.

All video clips were edited by Bill Chadwick, Oregon State University/NOAA

 Contact Information:
Fred Gorell, NOAA Ocean Exploration Office, 301-713-9444 x181, fred.gorell@noaa.gov
Robert Embley, NOAA/PMEL, 541-867-0275, robert.w.embley@noaa.gov
Bill Chadwick, OSU/NOAA, 541-867-0179, bill.chadwick@noaa.gov

This and other video clips are available at the following ftp site in DV, Quicktime, and Windows Media formats:

ftp://ftp.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/chadwick/SRoF06/