An oceanic research team comprising leading Taiwan academics has identified eight undersea volcanoes within a radius of 10 kilometers in the South China Sea, according to the National Science Council July 11.
The discovery was made during two fortnightlong voyages aboard the 2,700-ton Ocean Researcher V—Taiwan’s largest locally designed and built marine studies vessel.
Headed by Lee Chao-shing, an applied geosciences professor at National Taiwan Ocean University and Gong Gwo-ching, director of Taiwan Ocean Research Institute under the National Applied Research Laboratories, the team’s other members include professors from National Chung Hsin University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Taiwan Normal University, and National Taiwan University, as well as researchers from Academia Sinica and the ROC Ministry of the Interior.
Undersea fissures near Huangyan Island indicate extremely active plate movements, spurring a series of eruptions taking place in the region more than 20 million years ago, TORI Director Gong said.
“The presence of volcanoes has changed our knowledge of the islet and opens the door for more research on marine geology in the area to better understand the types and distribution of underwater mineral resources.”
Another project undertaken during the voyages was the study of currents 4,000 meters below sea level. Multibeam echo scounders placed at a depth of 4,330 meters recorded valuable data that will be used for detailed analysis in Taiwan.
In addition, the team launched Taiwan’s first weather buoy in the South China Sea. The device, expected to provide information on atmospheric pressure, sea temperature, sunshine duration, and wind direction and speed, is positioned 4.5 kilometers west of Taiping Islands at a depth of 822 meters.
The voyages were conducted May 16 to June 17 under the protection of ROC navy and Coast Guard Administration vessels. (KML-JSM)
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