Scientists working on a research ship in the Arctic Ocean may have discovered a giant underwater volcano. According to The Independent, the crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Healy were working on a project to map the seafloor off the coast of Alaska when they found a new volcano-like formation deep in the ocean waters. The volcano-like structure sits more than 1,600 meters from the water’s surface and scientists have detected a possible gas plume rising from it. However, as the structure is so far under the water, it poses no threat to those on land. 

“These findings are exciting and offer insight into what may exist beneath the ocean’s surface, much of which is unknown in this region,” said Captain Meghan McGovern from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), per The Independent. 

The Cutter Healy is the Coast Guard’s only icebreaker designed to support research. The research teams included members from the National Science Foundation, the University of New Hampshire, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

The recent trip was part of a larger project called the Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study, which was enacted to evaluate the need for establishing vessel routing measures. The mission’s actual aim was to ensure that ships using these seas avoid clashes with other ships or underwater hazards.

The Healy has since returned to Seattle, Washington. It left Washington for Arctic deployment in June.

“It’s an honour supporting such diverse research missions in the northern high latitudes while working towards enhancing navigation safety in a region where soundings are sparse,” said the Healy’s Commanding Officer Captain Michele Schallip.

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“As scientific interest in the Arctic Ocean Basin grows, Healy is on the front-line providing access to the scientific community facilitating Arctic research opportunities while inspiring future chief scientists. Our crew remains committed to ensuring we are ready to meet the challenges unique to operating in the austere environment to see the completion of these vital missions,” he added. 

Underwater volcanoes, also known as submarine volcanoes or seamounts, do not produce the spectacular eruption events of some of their land counterparts, but undersea volcanic activity is a constant process that shapes the features of the ocean, per Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration. Some oceanographers estimate that there may be as many as one million volcanoes on the Pacific Ocean floor alone – roughly 750 times the number on dry land.