A group of scientists investigating an ancient chain of submarine volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean recently made an unexpected discovery. unexpectedly discovered what appears to be a “yellow brick road”. But this brick floor is actually the result of volcanic geology that breaks up the rock in an interestingly smooth and regular way.
The pilots of the diver ‘E/V Nautilus’, who explored the ancient seamounts of the Liliʻuokalani Ridge as part of the Luʻuaeaahikiekumu expedition, which you can watch in the video below, were responsible.
The team tries to sample a manganese crust from the seafloor with the help of a robotic arm. Using the robot, the scientists take a closer look at a piece of ferromanganese shell, a marine sedimentary mineral deposit composed of oxides of iron and manganese.
“Road to Atlantis”
After sampling, the vehicle stumbles upon a surprisingly smooth-looking area they call the “yellow brick road” or, ironically, the “road to Atlantis.”
“The legendary city may look like a ‘yellow brick road’ to Atlantis! This is truly an example of ancient active volcanic geology! scientists explained. The strange geological formation was located on part of the Nutka Seamount peak located within the Papahānaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
At first, it looked like a dried up piece of lake bed, but it was later found to be. hyaloclastite, a type of volcanic rock found where high-energy eruptions deposit fragments on the seafloor. The reason it is so similar to artificial brick is that it regularly breaks as it is repeatedly heated and cooled over time as more explosions occur in the area.
“Imagine it a bit like the top of something good. brownies; the surface is solid, but it can rise and fall in heat and cold, creating cracks on its surface. This ancient volcanic rock behaved similarly, but for much longer and with a more palatable flavor.
Reference article: https://www.cnet.com/science/scientists-spot-weird-yellow-brick-road-in-pacific-ocean/
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