Basic Sea Smoke Stack in Sangihe

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Expedition Team Indonesia Sangihe Talaud or Index / Sangihe Talaud 2010 joint Indonesia-United States succeeded in identifying some of its findings. Among other things, at a depth of about 2000 meters found in chimney submarine volcano that temperature 300-400 degrees Celsius.

The expedition started early in July 2010 and is planned to last until August 10, 2010.

These activities involve 32 scientists Indonesia and the United States 12 scientists who analyzed the results of underwater exploration by the research vessel Okeanos Explorer via the Command Center for Research in the Office of Marine and Fisheries Research Agency Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in Ancol, North Jakarta, as well as in Seattle, United States States.

"In the waters there Talaud Sangihe volcanic activity, but has not been known until now how active," said Chairman Tim Indonesian researcher in the Index / Sangihe Talaud Sugiarta Wirasantosa 2010, when contacted in Jakarta, Sunday (11/07/2010).

The content of high-temperature condensation from the earth that contains minerals, metals, and gases, which affected the sea water temperature in the reach 2-4 degrees celsius. This raises the flow solution obtained from the bowels of the earth's sudden cooling.

Its own ecosystem

According Sugiarta, sudden cooling caused a layer of sediment that eventually form the chimney. The surrounding sea water becomes not too cold or too hot not to become its own ecosystem and could be a habitat for marine biota-specific.

"From taking pictures with the underwater video camera inside, the image obtained biota various types, ranging from worms-intestinal worms, shrimp, crab, and fish all the color is very striking," he said.

Not able to

Separately, Head of Research Center for Oceanography Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Soeharsono said, meeting the earth crust caused submarine volcano. This happens not only in the northern part of Sulawesi Island, but also at other locations in Indonesia.

"So far we have not been able to explore the knowledge about the deep sea. The regions waters north of Papua, South Sulawesi, or in the Banda Sea, Maluku, for example, would not be much different from the Sangihe Talaud which is now being explored by the research vessel Okeanos Explorer's America The union, "said Soeharsono.

Submarine volcanic activity, according Soeharsono, also existed in shallow water. He mentioned, in the area of Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, in fact there is volcanic activity under the sea with a depth of 100-200 meters. However, the exploration of the science of it is still very small.

Soeharsono say, around 2003 Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has worked with Australia to identify the submarine volcano in the Sangihe Talaud. At that time found the solution content is out of the bowels of the earth, then formed the chimneys. Of whom turned out to contain gold.