Jump to content
  • Sign Up
×
×
  • Create New...

[NASA] Pumice Rafts Encroach on Admiralty Islands

SpaceMan

By SpaceMan,
in World News

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Diamond Member
SpaceMan Hunter

SpaceMan 0

Posted
  • Diamond Member
Posted
Earth Observatory
  1. This is the hidden content, please
  2. This is the hidden content, please
  3. Pumice Rafts Encroach on…
 
This is the hidden content, please
June 4, 2026

On May 8, 2026, satellites detected signs of an unexpected submarine volcanic

This is the hidden content, please
near the islands of Papua New Guinea. Over the next several weeks, plumes of steam and ash streamed over the sea, and areas of discolored water surrounded the eruption site. Relatively little is known about the ocean floor in this area or the volcanic feature that is presently erupting. But experts think the new activity, ongoing as of mid-June, might be occurring along the
This is the hidden content, please
and has the potential to form an ephemeral new island.

Despite the unknowns, the effects of the eruption became unmistakable for some communities in Papua New Guinea’s

This is the hidden content, please
. In early June, rafts of pumice drifted northwest from the eruption site and clogged up coastlines on several of the islands. Bands of the buoyant volcanic material are visible in this image, acquired with the 
This is the hidden content, please
 (Operational Land Imager) on
This is the hidden content, please
on June 4, as they drifted with surface currents on the Bismarck Sea.  

Several days after the image, news outlets reported acute impacts from thick masses of pumice reaching coastal areas. Communities on Lou Island and Baluan Island, to the south, were described by officials as among the worst affected, according to reports from

This is the hidden content, please
. Outlets reported that a layer of pumice up to several meters thick blanketed the shore, cutting off access to the water. The volcanic fragments similarly choked the
This is the hidden content, please
around the much larger
This is the hidden content, please
, about 125 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of the volcano and out of frame.

This is the hidden content, please
A submarine volcano produces a plume of discolored water and vents steam into the air in an image acquired on June 4, 2026, with the 
This is the hidden content, please
 (Operational Land Imager) on
This is the hidden content, please
. Pumice is visible near the base of the plume and exhibits a thermal signature in infrared imagery.
NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin

Studies of past

This is the hidden content, please
have found that the material can remain afloat for
This is the hidden content, please
before sinking out of satellite view. Larger rafts can form with the help of ash, which serves to “weld” together fragments of the porous rock, said Jim Garvin, the chief scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, noting this process occurred during the 2022 eruption of
This is the hidden content, please
. “These masses can pile up around erupting vents to protect the eruption centers and produce ephemeral new lands in some cases,” he said. When adrift, such pumice platforms can act as floating homes for marine organisms—from microalgae to
This is the hidden content, please
to barnacles—and enable them to
This is the hidden content, please
.

Though beneficial to life in some ways, the rafts can pose serious threats to humans and other species. Some of the larger fragments of pumice stack up to form ridges when they reach the coastlines of islands. Reports from Papua New Guinea

This is the hidden content, please
to fishing, the transport of goods, and access to critical services that can occur when pumice accumulates along the coast.

Communities have expressed concerns over the pumice’s effects on marine ecosystems, as well. Researchers have noted that the sustained presence of pumice can block sunlight and may inhibit photosynthesis in seagrass and corals below, and the rocks may physically damage reef structures. In a review of the

This is the hidden content, please
of pumice reaching Japan’s coast in 2021, researchers noted the die-off of filter-feeding fish in fishery cages from ingesting pumice, warning that other wildlife may be harmed by mistakenly consuming the rocks.

New studies using an ensemble of orbital

This is the hidden content, please
platforms—including Landsat, hyperspectral instruments, and imaging radars—are tracking developments in this Bismarck Sea region, Garvin said. These observations can provide new perspectives on hazards as well as unique scientific opportunities for improved understanding of submarine eruptions.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the 

This is the hidden content, please
. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

Downloads

This is the hidden content, please

June 4, 2026

JPEG (7.36 MB)

References & Resources

  • ABC News (2026, June 7)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • Carn, S., via Bluesky (2026, June 2)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • Global Volcanism Program (2026, June 10) Titan Ridge. Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • He, S., et al. (2025)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . GIScience & Remote Sensing, 62(1).
  • NASA Earth Observatory (2026, May 21)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • NASA Earth Observatory (2019, August 23)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • The National (2026, June 9)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.
  • Ohno, Y., et al. (2022)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Scientific Reports, 12, 11187.
  • Radio New Zealand (2026, June 8)
    This is the hidden content, please
    . Accessed June 12, 2026.

You may also be interested in:

Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

5 min read

Satellite imagery shows a surge of new volcanic activity in the ocean near Papua New Guinea.

Article
This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

3 min read

The Tongan volcano expanded its mid-Pacific real estate during its latest eruptive phase.

Article
This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

This is the hidden content, please

3 min read

Episode 43 of the Hawaiian volcano’s current eruption was marked by high lava fountains and widespread ash dispersal.

Article

This is the hidden content, please

0

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Vote for the server

    To vote for this server you must login.

    Jim Carrey Flirting GIF

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Important Information

Privacy Notice: We utilize cookies to optimize your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. By consenting, you acknowledge and agree to our Cookie Policy, ensuring your privacy preferences are respected.

  I accept