Japan: Water vapor column shoots 1 kilometer into air over Pacific Ocean: Report

AP ^ | 07/03/05

[TigerLikesRooster]

Sunday July 3, 12:03 AM

Water vapor column shoots 1 kilometer into air over Pacific Ocean: Report

A 1-kilometer (3,300-foot) -high column of water vapor shot up from the Pacific Ocean off a tiny Japanese island on Saturday, indicating a possible undersea volcanic eruption, a report said.

The water vapor, resembling the steam emitted by a boiling kettle, was seen from the island of Iwo Jima by Japanese troops stationed there, Kyodo News agency said.

The vapor was roughly 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the island, and was believed to have been caused by an erupting volcano on the ocean floor, the report said.

Japan's Coast Guard planned to dispatch aircraft to the area to conduct a survey on Sunday.

The Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of tsunami, potentially killer waves caused by undersea seismic activity or landslides.

Iwo Jima is about 1,120 kilometers (700 miles) southeast of Tokyo.

[TigerLikesRooster]

A related news article: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050703/ap_on_sc/japan_underwater_eruption_2

Japan Probes Water Vapor Near Iwo Jima

Sun Jul 3, 2:53 AM ET

TOKYO - Japan's Coast Guard dispatched aircraft Sunday to survey a 3,300-foot-high column of steam rising from the Pacific Ocean off a small Japanese island, in a possible sign of an undersea volcanic eruption, officials said.

The water vapor resembling a huge cloud, was seen from the island of Iwo Jima on Saturday by Japanese troops stationed there, said Hiroshi Shirai, a spokesman for the Maritime Self-Defense Forces.

Several soldiers witnessed the vapor in waters roughly 30 miles southeast of the island, he said. The defense officials who later conducted an aerial survey from a rescue helicopter also found the surface of the water in the area turning red, Shirai said, adding that there might have been an underwater volcanic activity.

On Sunday, Japan's Coast Guard sent aircraft to the area to conduct a more thorough survey in daylight. Coast Guard officials said officials are still trying to find out what exactly has occurred in the waters, and no further details were immediately available.

The Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of tsunami, which can be caused by undersea seismic activity or landslides. Iwo Jima is about 700 miles southeast of Tokyo.

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  Vapor billows from grayish mud that is rising up from the bottom of the ocean near where a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor shot up in the Pacific Ocean, on Sunday July 3, 2005. Japanese coast guard officials said Sunday after an aerial survey that they believe an underwater eruption has caused a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor to shoot up from the Pacific Ocean near Iwo Jima. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

AP - 14 minutes ago

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  In this photo released by the Japan Coast Guard, vapor billows from what it describes rocks appearing above the sea near the area where a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor shot up in the Pacific Ocean, on Sunday July 3, 2005. Japanese coast guard officials said Sunday after an aerial survey that they believe an underwater eruption has caused a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor to shoot up from the Pacific Ocean near Iwo Jima. (AP Photo/Japan Coast Guard, HO)

AP - 16 minutes ago

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  A white column of water vapor that is about 1,000 metros (0.62 miles) high is seen in the Pacific Ocean off Iwo Jima, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) south of Tokyo July 2, 2005. The Japan Coast Guard issued warning to vessels planning to sail close to the area and plans an aerial survey beginning Sunday morning according to a local media report. Picture taken July 2, 2005. Photo by Reuters (Handout)

Reuters - 32 minutes ago

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  In this photo released by the Japan Coast Guard, the change in color of the seawater near where a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor shot up from the Pacific Ocean is seen on Sunday July 3, 2005. Japanese coast guard officials said Sunday after an aerial survey that they believe an underwater eruption has caused a 1 kilometer- (3,300-foot) high column of water vapor to shoot up from the Pacific Ocean near Iwo Jima. The island seen in background is uninhabited Minami Iwo Jima. (AP Photo/Japan Coast Guard, HO)

AP - 44 minutes ago

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  A white column of water vapor is seen in the Pacific Ocean off Iwo Jima, about 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) south of Tokyo July 2, 2005. The Japan Coast Guard issued a warning to vessels planning to sail close to the area and plans an aerial survey beginning Sunday morning according to a local media report. REUTERS/Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force/Handout

Reuters - 1 hour, 41 minutes ago

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[MARTIAL MONK]

Godzilla lives!

[Strategerist]

Pretty neat. Iwo Jima is actually a large Caldera that has uplifted over 130 feet since 1779 (makes the bulging at Yellowstone look like a joke) but Iwo Jima itself has never had anything but tiny eruptions.


There was a similar submarine eruption offshore in 2001.

[snarks_when_bored]

And can Gamera be far behind?

[mewzilla]

Has there been any unusual seismicity reported?

[xp38]

I think this one is the Smog Monster....

[sushiman]

Maybe this is a sign that the BIGGY is just around the corner ?

[Enterprise]

Carumba!

[Strategerist]

Maybe this is a sign that the BIGGY is just around the corner ?

Doubtful.

[ReadyNow]

whale flatulence

[nuconvert]

Looks like Yellowstone Nat'l Park

[mewzilla]

Or maybe the Pacific rim just twitching from that big quake in Dec? Kinda like an overweight lady trying to shimmy herself into a girdle a couple of sizes too small?

[R.W.Ratikal]

It's a little ironic to read about "Japanese troops" on Iowa Jima. This little dot of sulfur in the Pacific ocean will forever be sacred by the 6,000 Marines who died to kick the Japanese troops off the island.

Outside the cemetery where the Marines sleep someone carved the words:

"When you go home
Tell them for us and say
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today."

Happy 4th of July!

[Strategerist]

Or maybe the Pacific rim just twitching from that big quake in Dec?

Overall the number of large quakes worldwide, and certainly in the Pacific rim, remains well below normal, and really there's not much volcanism going on worldwide or in the Pacific Rim, especially in terms of large scale eruptions.

[toomanygrasshoppers]

Kinda like an overweight lady trying to shimmy herself into a girdle a couple of sizes too small?

Hey now, let's don't get personal this morning. *wink*

[mewzilla]

I wan't thinking so much in terms of eruptions. I was just wondering if there'd been any harmonic tremors, which can indicate magma moving if I understand correctly?

[mewzilla]

Hey now, let's don't get personal this morning. *wink*

Let's just say I have personal knowledge of what happens when an irresistable force meets an immovable object :)

[Enterprise]

I think we just may have had a small earthquake in Central Kaleefornia. It sounded like a loud boom though.