A team led by volcanologist Andrea Verolino of Paris-Saclay University in France has used an AI-assisted analysis to identify 73 previously unknown volcanic calderas hidden beneath Earth's oceans.
Calderas are vast crater-like depressions left when a volcano collapses after emptying its magma chamber. While some are extinct, others could erupt again.
The discovery was made by adapting an algorithm originally trained to detect impact craters on Mars to analyze bathymetric seafloor maps. After filtering over 87,000 initial candidates, the team confirmed 78 likely calderas, 73 of which were new.
The findings are significant. Most Earth's volcanic activity occurs underwater. The explosive 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai eruption from an undersea caldera was a recent reminder of the potential for tsunamis and atmospheric disruption.
The new calderas are primarily located in interior tectonic settings like seamount chains, not just at plate boundaries. The researchers have flagged seven for priority study due to their potential hazard risk.
The study establishes a framework for global submarine volcano assessment, a critical step for evaluating future volcanic risks. The research was published in Communications Earth & Environment.