How geoscience got to the bottom of a mysterious hum
Shhh….can you hear it? That strange, inexplicable hum? Since the 1970s, low-frequency rumbles have been reportedly heard around the world — spawning numerous conspiracy theories about the source.
It turns out the hum is caused by something more spectacular than all of those theories combined; it is the direct result of a giant underwater volcano forming just off the coast of Madagascar.
A German scientific team looked more closely at the phenomena and were able to document strange sonic waves traversing the earth, from Kenya to Chile and Canada to the Hawaiian Islands, growing louder and lasting longer each time. The team concluded that the hum was caused by an enormous pocket of molten magma — 25-30 kilometers deep to be exact — slowly meeting the floor of the Indian Ocean. As rock sagged to meet the red-hot magma lake, the ocean floor began to give off a noticeable and dramatic hum. It’s the sound of a volcano being born — an incredibly rare discovery that sparked curiosity about what’s really going on beneath the surface of our planet.
Thankfully, geoscientists are exploring those big questions each and every day.
Geoscience involves studying the planet and its many geologic systems, including minerals, soil, water and energy resources. In Alberta, we’re most familiar with the work of geoscientists thanks to our strong natural resources sector. Geoscientists are involved in mineral exploration and mining, oil and gas exploration and development, geothermal systems and understanding how our groundwater systems function.
APEGA is proud to regulate the geoscience profession in our province and ensure the safety of every Albertan as we continue to explore the ground (and water!) beneath our feet.