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Science Magazine Podcast
Extreme ocean currents from a volcano, and why it’s taking so long to wire green energy into the U.S. grid
Sep 7, 2023
The podcast discusses the aftermath of the Tonga volcanic eruption, including severed seafloor cables and challenges in modeling energy flow in the electrical grid. It also explores the detection and study of underwater volcanic eruptions, the damage to seafloor cables in Tonga, and the potential for predicting volcanic eruptions. Additionally, it highlights the international collaboration in studying ocean currents and the challenges of connecting renewable energy to the US grid, including permission issues and grid overload.
33:28
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Quick takeaways
- The Tonga eruption caused fast and powerful ocean currents that severed seafloor cables, highlighting the need for improved cable resilience for future volcanic events.
- Problems with modeling energy flow in the electrical grid are slowing down the connection of renewable power projects, and incorporating flexibility in power line capacity assumptions can help overcome these obstacles.
Deep dives
Tonga Volcano Eruption: Underwater Currents and Cable Damage
Researchers discuss the aftermath of the Tonga eruption, including the fast and powerful ocean currents that severed sea floor cables. The eruption broke records, and the study provided insights into how the volcanic debris swept across the sea floor, causing significant damage. The eruption's magnitude surprised scientists, as most underwater eruptions are small and go unnoticed. This was the first field study to explore the direct deposition of volcanic material into the ocean, rather than from land. The researchers plan to further study the extent of these flows, better understand previous eruptions through sediment analysis, and improve cable resilience for future volcanic events.
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Discover
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