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How long does it take for islands to form after an underwater volcanic eruption? UPDATE
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So, vaguely, I remember from earth science that when submarine volcanoes erupt they eventually form archipelagos. My question actually has several parts;
How long does it take for those islands to
form andbecome habitable?Without the use of modern technology, is there a way to know that the eruption occurred?
The antagonist in my current WIP is the deity of mountains and volcanoes, she creates these islands so she can have a place to do her scheming and such out of sight of the other deities. The eruption occurs in the middle of the ocean so the water is fairly deep. Saltwater if that makes any difference.
Is this a quick or slow process, does she have the time to make the islands habitable before getting caught?
How would the water itself be affected by the eruption? The aquatic animals?
I know initially the water will be hot and the fishies will most likely not love that-- but after cooling etc. how does the pH change, mineral content, current, plant life, animal species change?
science-based reality-check geology habitability volcanoes
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
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up vote
5
down vote
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So, vaguely, I remember from earth science that when submarine volcanoes erupt they eventually form archipelagos. My question actually has several parts;
How long does it take for those islands to
form andbecome habitable?Without the use of modern technology, is there a way to know that the eruption occurred?
The antagonist in my current WIP is the deity of mountains and volcanoes, she creates these islands so she can have a place to do her scheming and such out of sight of the other deities. The eruption occurs in the middle of the ocean so the water is fairly deep. Saltwater if that makes any difference.
Is this a quick or slow process, does she have the time to make the islands habitable before getting caught?
How would the water itself be affected by the eruption? The aquatic animals?
I know initially the water will be hot and the fishies will most likely not love that-- but after cooling etc. how does the pH change, mineral content, current, plant life, animal species change?
science-based reality-check geology habitability volcanoes
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 4 more comments
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
So, vaguely, I remember from earth science that when submarine volcanoes erupt they eventually form archipelagos. My question actually has several parts;
How long does it take for those islands to
form andbecome habitable?Without the use of modern technology, is there a way to know that the eruption occurred?
The antagonist in my current WIP is the deity of mountains and volcanoes, she creates these islands so she can have a place to do her scheming and such out of sight of the other deities. The eruption occurs in the middle of the ocean so the water is fairly deep. Saltwater if that makes any difference.
Is this a quick or slow process, does she have the time to make the islands habitable before getting caught?
How would the water itself be affected by the eruption? The aquatic animals?
I know initially the water will be hot and the fishies will most likely not love that-- but after cooling etc. how does the pH change, mineral content, current, plant life, animal species change?
science-based reality-check geology habitability volcanoes
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
So, vaguely, I remember from earth science that when submarine volcanoes erupt they eventually form archipelagos. My question actually has several parts;
How long does it take for those islands to
form andbecome habitable?Without the use of modern technology, is there a way to know that the eruption occurred?
The antagonist in my current WIP is the deity of mountains and volcanoes, she creates these islands so she can have a place to do her scheming and such out of sight of the other deities. The eruption occurs in the middle of the ocean so the water is fairly deep. Saltwater if that makes any difference.
Is this a quick or slow process, does she have the time to make the islands habitable before getting caught?
How would the water itself be affected by the eruption? The aquatic animals?
I know initially the water will be hot and the fishies will most likely not love that-- but after cooling etc. how does the pH change, mineral content, current, plant life, animal species change?
science-based reality-check geology habitability volcanoes
science-based reality-check geology habitability volcanoes
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 47 mins ago
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
asked 2 hours ago
Noellektrae
295
295
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Noellektrae is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 4 more comments
Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago
Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 4 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
Hawaii, as a case study: Millions of years
From https://dhrititimelineofplatetectonics.weebly.com/formation-of-hawaii.html :
This is how the islands first became to form 40 million years ago
even though some were able to start developing 70 million years
ago.
...
The oldest island of Hawaii is Kauai which formed 5.1
million years ago, then Niihau which formed 4.9 million years ago,
then Oahu, Hawaii's third largest island formed 3 and a half million
years ago, followed by Molokai which was formed 1 and a half million
years, then Maui, Hawaii's second largest island formed a million
years ago and lastly The Big Island of Hawaii which formed half a
million years ago and is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain. Another
volcano named Lo'ihi is being created currently and is expected to
emerge from the seas in 10,000 to 100,000 years time as it is still
1000m below the ocean's surface and become an island.
From this quote, we can see that from beginning (eruptions on the sea floor beginning) all the way to having an island, it takes millions of years. Individual islands can form concurrently, however, and emerge next to each other within the space of tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Google Surtsey.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/gen_3.htm
This was an undersea volcano that formed off the coast of iceland. National Geographic had a series of articles on it.
The water was shallow(130 m), so the island didn't have to make a huge thickness of land to get above the surface.
Before breaking the surface, there was a lot of bubbles, floating pumice, ash clouds, but the interval from the start of the eruption to breaking surface was days.
First plants were there within a year. At this point the island is covered in green. Nearest land is 18 km away.
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
Hawaii, as a case study: Millions of years
From https://dhrititimelineofplatetectonics.weebly.com/formation-of-hawaii.html :
This is how the islands first became to form 40 million years ago
even though some were able to start developing 70 million years
ago.
...
The oldest island of Hawaii is Kauai which formed 5.1
million years ago, then Niihau which formed 4.9 million years ago,
then Oahu, Hawaii's third largest island formed 3 and a half million
years ago, followed by Molokai which was formed 1 and a half million
years, then Maui, Hawaii's second largest island formed a million
years ago and lastly The Big Island of Hawaii which formed half a
million years ago and is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain. Another
volcano named Lo'ihi is being created currently and is expected to
emerge from the seas in 10,000 to 100,000 years time as it is still
1000m below the ocean's surface and become an island.
From this quote, we can see that from beginning (eruptions on the sea floor beginning) all the way to having an island, it takes millions of years. Individual islands can form concurrently, however, and emerge next to each other within the space of tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
Hawaii, as a case study: Millions of years
From https://dhrititimelineofplatetectonics.weebly.com/formation-of-hawaii.html :
This is how the islands first became to form 40 million years ago
even though some were able to start developing 70 million years
ago.
...
The oldest island of Hawaii is Kauai which formed 5.1
million years ago, then Niihau which formed 4.9 million years ago,
then Oahu, Hawaii's third largest island formed 3 and a half million
years ago, followed by Molokai which was formed 1 and a half million
years, then Maui, Hawaii's second largest island formed a million
years ago and lastly The Big Island of Hawaii which formed half a
million years ago and is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain. Another
volcano named Lo'ihi is being created currently and is expected to
emerge from the seas in 10,000 to 100,000 years time as it is still
1000m below the ocean's surface and become an island.
From this quote, we can see that from beginning (eruptions on the sea floor beginning) all the way to having an island, it takes millions of years. Individual islands can form concurrently, however, and emerge next to each other within the space of tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
Hawaii, as a case study: Millions of years
From https://dhrititimelineofplatetectonics.weebly.com/formation-of-hawaii.html :
This is how the islands first became to form 40 million years ago
even though some were able to start developing 70 million years
ago.
...
The oldest island of Hawaii is Kauai which formed 5.1
million years ago, then Niihau which formed 4.9 million years ago,
then Oahu, Hawaii's third largest island formed 3 and a half million
years ago, followed by Molokai which was formed 1 and a half million
years, then Maui, Hawaii's second largest island formed a million
years ago and lastly The Big Island of Hawaii which formed half a
million years ago and is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain. Another
volcano named Lo'ihi is being created currently and is expected to
emerge from the seas in 10,000 to 100,000 years time as it is still
1000m below the ocean's surface and become an island.
From this quote, we can see that from beginning (eruptions on the sea floor beginning) all the way to having an island, it takes millions of years. Individual islands can form concurrently, however, and emerge next to each other within the space of tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
Hawaii, as a case study: Millions of years
From https://dhrititimelineofplatetectonics.weebly.com/formation-of-hawaii.html :
This is how the islands first became to form 40 million years ago
even though some were able to start developing 70 million years
ago.
...
The oldest island of Hawaii is Kauai which formed 5.1
million years ago, then Niihau which formed 4.9 million years ago,
then Oahu, Hawaii's third largest island formed 3 and a half million
years ago, followed by Molokai which was formed 1 and a half million
years, then Maui, Hawaii's second largest island formed a million
years ago and lastly The Big Island of Hawaii which formed half a
million years ago and is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain. Another
volcano named Lo'ihi is being created currently and is expected to
emerge from the seas in 10,000 to 100,000 years time as it is still
1000m below the ocean's surface and become an island.
From this quote, we can see that from beginning (eruptions on the sea floor beginning) all the way to having an island, it takes millions of years. Individual islands can form concurrently, however, and emerge next to each other within the space of tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
answered 1 hour ago
Qami
1,969416
1,969416
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Google Surtsey.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/gen_3.htm
This was an undersea volcano that formed off the coast of iceland. National Geographic had a series of articles on it.
The water was shallow(130 m), so the island didn't have to make a huge thickness of land to get above the surface.
Before breaking the surface, there was a lot of bubbles, floating pumice, ash clouds, but the interval from the start of the eruption to breaking surface was days.
First plants were there within a year. At this point the island is covered in green. Nearest land is 18 km away.
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Google Surtsey.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/gen_3.htm
This was an undersea volcano that formed off the coast of iceland. National Geographic had a series of articles on it.
The water was shallow(130 m), so the island didn't have to make a huge thickness of land to get above the surface.
Before breaking the surface, there was a lot of bubbles, floating pumice, ash clouds, but the interval from the start of the eruption to breaking surface was days.
First plants were there within a year. At this point the island is covered in green. Nearest land is 18 km away.
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Google Surtsey.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/gen_3.htm
This was an undersea volcano that formed off the coast of iceland. National Geographic had a series of articles on it.
The water was shallow(130 m), so the island didn't have to make a huge thickness of land to get above the surface.
Before breaking the surface, there was a lot of bubbles, floating pumice, ash clouds, but the interval from the start of the eruption to breaking surface was days.
First plants were there within a year. At this point the island is covered in green. Nearest land is 18 km away.
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
Google Surtsey.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/gen_3.htm
This was an undersea volcano that formed off the coast of iceland. National Geographic had a series of articles on it.
The water was shallow(130 m), so the island didn't have to make a huge thickness of land to get above the surface.
Before breaking the surface, there was a lot of bubbles, floating pumice, ash clouds, but the interval from the start of the eruption to breaking surface was days.
First plants were there within a year. At this point the island is covered in green. Nearest land is 18 km away.
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
answered 1 hour ago
Sherwood Botsford
5,856429
5,856429
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
this was very helpful thank you. Do you think this process was so quick because the water was shallow? How would it be different in the middle of the sea?
– Noellektrae
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
Noellektrae is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Noellektrae is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Noellektrae is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Noellektrae is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Without even googling, I know it's gonna be a number of years with a lot of zeroes behind it. I would imagine at least on the order of tens of thousands, possibly millions or more. Your deity had better be a long-term planner (unless she can speed up the process with her magic)!
– Qami
2 hours ago
I figured as much, but how long is that really in the eyes of the gods? haha.
– Noellektrae
2 hours ago
EarthScience.SE would know...
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
"How long" certainly depends on how deep the water is. "How would the water itself be affected by the eruption?" Maybe... it would get hot. The aquatic animals probably wouldn't like that, and swim away.
– RonJohn
1 hour ago
do you mean how long from when the volcano first forms or how long from a seamount with no land to an island, the latter only takes days. you may be interested in recently formed islands (as in within the last decade). Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, South Pacific and Nishinoshima, Japan
– John
1 hour ago