Distinguishing old from new lava
seafloor photo of old and new lava seafloor photo of new lava
During the traverse, you will want to look for new lava. New lava is generally shiny and black and has not yet been covered with much sediment. New lava flows also do not have any deep-sea animals living on them except at hydrothermal vents where fast-colonizing animals, such as tubeworms, scaleworms, snails, and limpets can begin to colonize within a few months of an eruption.
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