AI Search Uncovers 73 Unknown Submarine Calderas After Screening 87,435 Seafloor Features
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 6
AI Search Uncovers 73 Unknown Submarine Calderas After Screening 87,435 Seafloor Features
2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 6
Summary
73 previously unknown submarine calderas were identified by Andrea Verolino's team after an AI-assisted scan of global bathymetric maps, in a finding that would more than triple the documented total if confirmed.
87,435 possible formations were initially flagged by an algorithm adapted from Mars crater detection, then narrowed to 78 likely calderas through filtering and manual review; five were already known examples.
61 of the new candidates lie in interior tectonic settings, with nine in volcanic arcs and eight at mid-ocean ridges, giving researchers a clearer picture of where these hidden volcanic systems cluster.
Seven of the newly identified calderas were singled out for follow-up because their depth, shape and location could make them important for understanding submarine eruption and tsunami hazards.
The study did not judge whether any site is active, but the authors say the dataset closes a major observational gap and offers a reproducible baseline for future global volcanic risk assessments.
With 73 new undersea volcanoes found, are coastal cities prepared for a threat they never knew existed?
How was an AI designed for Mars repurposed to uncover dozens of Earth's hidden volcanic threats?
Discovery of 73 New Submarine Calderas by AI Redefines Global Volcanic Risk
Overview
A groundbreaking discovery by Andrea Verolino's team has revealed 73 previously unknown submarine calderas, fundamentally changing our understanding of underwater volcanic landscapes. These calderas, formed when a volcano's underground magma chamber empties and the ground collapses, highlight the vast and dynamic nature of the seafloor. The identification of so many new calderas means scientists must re-evaluate volcanic maps and models, especially for submarine volcanism. Each caldera could be a site of past or future volcanic activity, so further investigation is needed to determine if they are dormant, active, or extinct, with important implications for global volcanic hazard assessment.