We fear the eruption of a volcano on land; Mount Saint Helens proved how destructive such an eruption can be. But there are eruptions all the time that escape notice.
Because they are under the sea, in some cases very far under the sea. Oregon State researchers recently reported the deepest-known undersea eruption, close to the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. It's 14,700 feet down... enough water to submerge Mount Shasta and have plenty of clearance. Marine geologist Bill Chadwick was lead author on the study of the eruption; he is our guest.