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Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.

Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.
Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.
Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.
Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.
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354107
Cook, John E.
Illustration of subsea asphalt volcano.
Illustration
07/01/2009
reddy-AsphaltVolcano.jpg
Image of The Day caption:
Remnants of natural explosions of oil from the seafloor (asphalt volcanoes) are now being observed. Marine chemist and Coastal Institute director Chris Reddy and Dave Valentine of University of California, Santa Barbara, discovered two extinct asphalt volcanoes off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, using the DSV Alvin during the July 2007 SEEPS (Studies on the Ecology and Evolution of Petroleum Seeps) cruise. The eruptions of oil that form these volcanoes are opposite to what is currently observed and were noteworthy events. Learn more about this exciting discovery at today's Science Made Public talk at 2:30 p.m. in the Ocean Science Exhibit Center Auditorium.
Caption from Oceanus magazine, Vol. 48, No. 3, Pg. 37:
Extensive faulting or rupturing in the Earth around Santa Barbara allows oil and gas from subterranean reservoirs to seep up to the seafloor and sometimes ultimately reach the ocean and the atmosphere. But some oil solidifies to create asphalt volcanoes.
Illustration by Jack Cook
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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