In a series of three survey journeys conducted in 2017, Professor Tatsumi, along with his team unearthed the bottom of Kikai Caldera. In the processes of discovering this, they identified the lava dome, which rises 600 meters above the sea level and is 10 km wide. Submerged in water, this volcano is located off the coast of Japan.
According to scientists, this volcano last erupted 7,300 years ago and now preparing to make a comeback. The eruption is thought to have wiped out the ancient Jomon culture that inhabited the southern Japanese island of Kyushu during the time. According to the report, the structure, which carries 32 cubic km of magma is growing in size and can erupt without any warming, but the researchers who discovered the lava dome said there is a slim chance of a supereruption.
Image used is for illustrative purposes only.
Although the chances of a massive caldera eruption hitting the Japanese archipelago is one percent in the next 100 years, but it can wipe out an estimated 100 million people of the total population. Professor Tatsumi is planning his next journey to the site in March to confirm the discovery. They will also use underwater robots to find out the process that caused the volcano’s formation.
Further Read: Romantic Embraces and Candid Poses With An Erupting Volcano In The Background
