| Added | Fri, 26/05/2017 |
| Источники | |
| Дата публикации | Thu, 25/05/2017
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The eruption of an underwater volcano in the Kermadec area of Samoa, which occurred in July 2012, formed a huge floating island of porous volcanic glass called pumice. Its area was originally reached 550 thousand square kilometers, but after a few months under the influence of waves it was divided into many small ones.
Scientists have long been interested in, due to what the floating Islands are held on the water. Geologists from the California Institute failed to uncover this mystery.
To study the structure of pumice stone and its behaviour in the water, the team used a CT scanner and a particle accelerator. The study showed that the air retained in the pores of the material due to surface tension. This is a property of liquids allows you to stay on the surface of the water striders. When the air that filled the pores, dissolves in the water, the island is sinking.
Except for geologists and cartographers phenomenon of floating Islands was the subject of study of evolutionary biologists. The interest is that these Islands may have served as rafts on which animals and plants were transported to new territories. It is assumed that they are behind the spread of a large inhabitants on isolated areas of land.
Translated by «Yandex.Translator»
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